In this special bonus episode of Brain-Based Parenting, we deviate from the regular format to share touching, heartwarming stories celebrating the myriad experiences of parenthood. We reflect on the swift passage of time , recalling poignant moments that brought both joy and emotional challenges. Approaching the end of his direct parenting journey, Joshua reflects on the value of those fleeting moments and expresses a heartfelt longing to relive them once more. He emphasizes the sentiment that although the days might seem long, the years pass by too quickly in the journey of parenthood, leaving behind a treasure trove of cherished memories and life lessons.
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For More Information about Cal Farley's Boys Ranch: https://www.calfarley.org/
In this special bonus episode of Brain-Based Parenting, we deviate from the regular format to share touching, heartwarming stories celebrating the myriad experiences of parenthood. We reflect on the swift passage of time , recalling poignant moments that brought both joy and emotional challenges. Approaching the end of his direct parenting journey, Joshua reflects on the value of those fleeting moments and expresses a heartfelt longing to relive them once more. He emphasizes the sentiment that although the days might seem long, the years pass by too quickly in the journey of parenthood, leaving behind a treasure trove of cherished memories and life lessons.
To Donate: https://secure.calfarley.org/site/Donation2?3358.donation=form1&df_id=3358&mfc_pref=T
To Apply: https://apply.workable.com/cal-farleys-boys-ranch/j/25E1226091/
For More Information about Cal Farley's Boys Ranch: https://www.calfarley.org/
Music: "Shine" -Newsboys CCS License No. 9402
Speaker 1:
Welcome to the special bonus episode of Brain-Based Parenting, the Boys Ranch podcast for families. Instead of our usual format, we are dedicating this episode to sharing heartwarming, inspirational and perhaps even tear jerking stories, from moments that bring a smile to your face to anecdotes that tug at your heartstrings. We are here to share stories that might make you laugh, cry or simply fill you with a renewed sense of hope. Let's celebrate the many facets of parenthood together. Now here's your host, joshua Sprock.
Speaker 2:
This is an interesting time in my life. Last year my oldest nephew graduated from high school and this year my niece will graduate, my daughters who are twins, or juniors, and my youngest daughter is a freshman. It's all very surreal In my head. My children and nieces and nephews are all still cute little eight-year-olds. It seems just like yesterday that wherever I went with my daughters, they would fight to hold my hand, whether it be crossing the street, walking into church, going for a leisurely family walk in the park. It was something that I really loved and cherished, something that I never considered would ever end. Then, one day, as we're walking into the store, I reach down to grab my daughter's hand, and she initially grabbed mine back, but then she quickly pulled away. I don't know how I knew it, but in that moment I knew that period of my life had come to an end and she never held my hand again. Eventually, both of her sisters followed suit. I know that they all love me and most days I think they probably actually like me, but it just becomes different somehow. I understand that this is how it all goes as they grow up and they have the desire for more independence, but my heart broke a little bit each time that this happened and I can actually feel myself becoming a little emotional as I speak these words. Ever since my girls were born, I had people tell me time goes fast, and I always kind of blew those people off because every day of being a parent in many ways felt like really really long and was really really hard. I also remember someone once told me don't worry about it, they'll grow out of that stage, which, in fairness, I must agree, is true. What they did not tell me was that the stage that they grow into is a hundred times more difficult to manage than the previous stage. It's like the Mario game when you beat the level only to find out that the princesses and another castle.
Speaker 2:
When my girls were first born, I became a walking dead zombie. The lack of sleep made my days long and my nights and sufferably longer Nighttime. Feeding of twins is an endless task. This was when I learned that I not only liked coffee but could not survive without it. Then came the terrible threes, with all the meltdowns. In my opinion, h3 is way harder than H2.
Speaker 2:
Eventually they turned four and I thought I was in pretty good physical shape, but I was nowhere near ready to keep up with their boundless energy and inquisitiveness, as well as having to muster up the emotional strength to display genuine interest when they wanted to show me their cartwheel for the one millionth time. Next they progressed into elementary school and they had the endless activities sleepovers, birthday parties, carpools so much to keep up with. Then came the tween years, where they got really emotional and insecure. During this stage, my wife April and I learned that it was impossible for us to be right about anything. Every morning I would be asked does my hair look okay, or do these pants look weird with this shirt, or how bad does this pimple look? Without fail, I answered incorrectly, and then they would be a mom and go ask her and believe it or not. She also answered incorrectly.
Speaker 2:
As I mentioned earlier, each stage is replaced by a more difficult one, and this was exponentially true when they turned 14. 14 year olds have this uncanny ability to look you in the eye and know what you are most insecure about, or what is the most hurtful possible thing that they could possibly say, and crush your spirit when they say it in a way that you really don't think you'll ever emotionally recover from. Then they turn 16 and the homework gets insanely hard, on top of the fact that they're doing that homework late at night because they've either had late night practices for cross-country or their basketball game was in a city two hours away so they didn't get home until 10 o'clock at night. I've never felt more insecure than when I've tried to help my daughters with their algebra or English homework. I'm guessing at one point in their childhood my girls probably thought their dad knew it all. High school homework has totally obliterated that misconception. Also, the amount of paperwork you have to start doing will blow your mind helping them fill out job applications, act and SAT forms, help with taxes, getting their driver's license and insurance forms, fasfas, scholarships and college applications.
Speaker 2:
So here I am with two 17 year olds and a 14 year old and I'm scratching my head, trying to figure out where all the time went. Like I said earlier in my head, my kids are still cute little eight year olds. I've come to the realization that everyone was right when they told me that time goes by really, really fast, like in the blink of an eye. So I'm trying to rationalize in my head how my experiences of hard days that seemingly would never end relate to the fact that I'm on the precipice of the end of my direct parenting journey. What once felt like an endless journey that would never end now feels like it's happened in the blink of the eye. I recently heard a friend sum up what I was feeling in the most accurate way the days are long, but the years are short. For me, I cannot think of a better summation of what it's like to be a parent. In those emotionally draining moments, the days can feel excruciatingly long, but now, as I can begin to see the light at the end of the tunnel, I would do it all over again, just so I could have my daughter hold my hand one more time, like she used to.
Speaker 2:
In almost every training I lead, I talk about templates and how they impact the way we see the world.
Speaker 2:
I also talk about how we have the enormous opportunity to show our kids something different.
Speaker 2:
This gives us a powerful opportunity to change their templates.
Speaker 2:
It is specifically in those long days that we truly have the most power to do this.
Speaker 2:
So, as hard as it is to do so, cherish those long days, because that is exactly when you are doing the important work in changing how our kids see the world and, in turn, how they will interact with their families when they become parents themselves. There will come a day when our time in direct parenting role will come to a close and we'll watch them go to college, get jobs, join the military or start families of their own. We will look back on our time with them and reflect on the impact of what we have done. It is my guess that we will all say the same thing, similarly to how I would go through all those long days all over again just to experience the connection of my daughter holding my hand just one more time. I imagine we will all long to relive those special moments we shared with our children that God placed in our lives just one more time, and in doing so, we will indeed acknowledge that those days were indeed long, but the years were far too short.
Speaker 1:
Thank you for listening to Brain Based Parenting. We hope you enjoyed this show. If you would like more information about Cal Folly's Boys Ranch, are interested in employment, would like information about placing your child, or would like to help us help children by donating to our mission, please visit CalFollyorg. You can find us on all social media platforms by searching for Cal Follies. Thank you for spending your time with us and have a blessed day.