Thirty years ago my wife Kathy and I had just been married and anticipated a life together filled with love and wonder of what was possible. We could hardly imagine what it would look like and how it would all play out, but one thing I knew for sure was that we would not have children. Not because we didn’t think we could, but because we simply didn’t want them. Okay, to be clear, because I didn’t want them.
That all changed almost six years later and Megan unexpectedly came along and changed everything. Then Alex joined us two years later…and everything I thought our married life together was going to be, was going to be radically different.
The idea of writing a book, much less on parenting, especially back then was ridiculous. I mean I didn’t even read a book until I got out of high school. There’s a book idea right there…”How to graduated high school without reading a book.” Okay maybe not.
Now that our children are grown and we are empty nesters, I decided to write after all. Here are three reasons for Unplanned Parenthood
Someone Asked for It
One of my mentors Dan Miller author of “48 Days to the Work You Love” said, that if at least three people ask you for the same thing, you probably have an idea for a product or service.
Over the years a number of people have asked us for some kind of a parenting resource so I finally decided to write. Hey maybe it was only three people but according to Dan, that’s enough to move ahead.
My Family Kept Bugging Me
A few years ago we sat down as a family and I shared my idea of the book and asked if they would help. Over the next hour or more I wrote furiously as we brainstormed stories, ideas, principles, anything that came to mind. It was a fun exercise and actually turned into a great time to celebrate where our family had come over the past 20 plus years.
But those large bristol boards filled with hundreds of notes stayed on my office wall…staring back at me week after week, month after month and year after year…until this past Spring. Alex came home after 3 years based out of Los Angeles and challenged me to finish the book. Thinking he was going to be home for six months, I eventually caved and told him I’d write while he was home. As it turned out he only stayed for 3 weeks before moving to Vancouver, BC but I promised to complete the book in spite of him bailing on me.
My family not only kept bugging me to finish the book, they contributed to it. Megan & Alex both wrote a chapter and Kathy shares some of our story as well so it’s a parenting book written by the entire family.
A Resource for Parents
I simply wanted to create a resource that I hoped would offer encouragement, hope and practical insights that would inspire parents that they move from confusion to clarity, from feeling stuck to having a plan. My hope is that parents or anyone responsible for children would have the confidence that they can do it, and do it well.
Time will tell whether I was successful in doing that or not. But in the meantime you can find my book online at amazon.ca, amazon.com and goodreads.com
Question: What is one thing you want to do, or think you should do, but haven’t done? Why are you putting it off?
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