As a dad, I’ve always felt a deep responsibility to teach my kids—to show them how to navigate life, make good choices, be kind, work hard, and grow into the best versions of themselves. But the more I watch them, the more I realize something surprising: I have just as much to learn from them as they do from me. Maybe even more.
Lately, I’ve been especially struck by my youngest, Ryan. He moves through life with a rare kind of ease—not because things are always easy, but because he is content. He’s not constantly looking over his shoulder, wondering if he’s missing out on something better. He’s not weighed down by comparison or self-doubt. He doesn’t shape himself to fit someone else’s expectations. He just is. And he’s happy with that.
I see so many adults, myself included, getting caught up in the cycle of wanting more, doing more, chasing after what we think we should be. The fear of missing out, of not measuring up, of not being enough—it’s like a background hum that never fully goes away. But Ryan? He doesn’t operate that way. He’s not restless or distracted by what others are doing. He’s fully present in his life, living his story, not anyone else’s.
And that’s something I want to learn from.
What if we all embraced that kind of freedom? What if we stopped second-guessing ourselves, stopped worrying about what we should be doing, and instead just focused on being who we are—without apology, without comparison, without fear? What if we trusted that where we are right now is exactly where we’re supposed to be?
I’m realizing that the lessons I try to teach my kids—about confidence, authenticity, and joy—are the ones I need to take to heart myself. And this week, I’m choosing to be more like Ryan.
Because maybe the best way to be a great dad isn’t just teaching my kids how to be good humans. Maybe it’s learning from them how to be a better one myself.
