During my brother’s surprise birthday party that had been planned by his own wife and children, I kept on thinking how sweet it is to be part of such gatherings despite the routine office and other types of work around me. As we chatted away on several topics, drinking and having a laugh I could not stop thinking about my emails on phone and answering several calls concerning work. My brothers, sisters and wife seemed used to me being in such a scenario of thinking about work all the time against family quality time. The kids were joyfully running and playing all-over the house and compound. I was just enjoying seeing the kids run up and down since more than 10 families were in attendance. I did not expect that something was just about to happen that would open my eyes and mind to reality.
My seven-year old daughter came running towards where the parents were seated to greet her aunt who had just arrived. The aunt opened her hands and gave her a big hug and greeted her in the native language. All parents waited to listen to the answer that would come from my daughter and it never came. This implied that she could not reciprocate the greeting to the aunt. The birthday boy of the day posed a question to the little girl that “ you mean you can’t speak your mother tongue language?” In a few seconds the little girl responded, “My dad never teaches me to speak my mother tongue language. What he does is always to go to work all the time, all the time, all the time. But when he is the head of the family and he is supposed to be teaching me”. The little girl said these words with a lot of anger in her and we could see it from her face and afterwards she went back to continue playing with other kids. My brother turned back to me and said today you got what you have always wanted to hear and I do hope you pick a lesson from it. Quietly I picked up my mood once again that had been sunk low by the little girl and I said to the parents, “ I now know that I have been living a disowned life and change has to start today”.
Lesson Learnt
Sometimes parents think that working too hard to acquire all the wealth that is needed in the family is the most important against the family quality time. This was wrong because despite all what I gave to my family in terms of the wealth, the ipads for the kids, the funds for them to go to the cinema, zoo, holiday and so on, the family quality time could not be replaced.
- Many professionals work too hard to create the big corporations, to be the best CEOs and to accumulate as much wealth empire as possible. However, one thing that they fail to do is to make sure they create their own same shadow within the kids. There comes a time when all the wealth has been acquired, best corporation built but with non of the kids having the same traits of the parent to take forward what has been realised.
- How can we expect our kids to live in our legacy when we were not there when they are growing up to show them what they need to do to be like the parents?
- How can we expect the kids to take over the business developed by the parents when they have not been part of it, shown to love it, trained to secure it and grow it?
- How can you expect your kids to become the best CEOs without having taught them about the best CEO you were during the time they slept and dinned with you?
- Family is such a valuable asset to everyone and should never be neglected at all. The quality time with the family is so precious for training young ones, motivating them, nurturing them and act as a shock absorber for anything in one’s life. When there is danger, distress, trouble, stress, sickness and any other strain to the professional worker, it is the family that picks the pieces. It is also true that when there is happiness, joy and fulfilling the family should take the full credit too.
- Do not neglect quality family time because it that time that will enrich you and rejuvenate you to do more good at work.
- The kids learn a lot from parents and therefore they have a right to their classes from parents to determine their future. This should regularly be offered to them.
- If you want your kids to be like you “the super CEO or best parent”, then you need to teach them how to become one. Do not expect to do that when they are old and have taken different directions. Am sure they will simply say, “ We are not interested in your life style”. Who is to blame for disowning the family when they needed you? The time has come for you to own them but it is too late.
- Wealth and money cannot buy all what you need such as family, friends and the legacy you want. You just need to live that family life; friendly life and the legacy will automatically come to reign forever.
Power and Money are fruits of Life but Family and Friends are roots of Life; however we can manage without Fruits but can never stand without Roots.
Final message from what is written is that in life lets try not to live a disowned life against our families. The family needs you as my daughter reminded me of my major responsibility of being the family head. I need to work hard to change my role in my family. How about you?
Quotes
“Families are the compass that guides us. They are the inspiration to reach great heights, and our comfort when we occasionally falter.” – Brad Henry
“We do not develop habits of genuine love automatically. We learn by watching effective role models – most specifically by observing how our parents express love for each other day in and day out.”– Josh McDowell
Published by Prof. Jude T Lubega
This Post Has 23 Comments
This is a very good lesson Professor and we need to learn that its not all about money in life. Will share this article with my lovely wife.
Thanks Prof. Jude for this very inspiring message.
Thanks my brother Jude. I work so hard but I balance work and family time. I always try my best to creat time to talk, cook , play , watch a movie together with my family try to teach them where we come from and our culture, it’s not easy to raise kids abroad but I try my best and try to ask about how their day was and how school was , even about their friends , anything new they would like to share with me. Most important be their best friend so that they can confide in you and in case of a problem they’ll be able to come to you for help or guidance. Let me hope your article will help a lot of parents to balance work and family time. Thanks professor Jude
Thanks Harriet and it was a good lesson offered to me by a young girl and i have told myself change has to come to my life before i loose it all. Greet all
Thank you prof. A deep, honest reflection. Am enriched and inspired to do even more.
Ambrose thanks for reading and man we need to change before we loose those young ones
Message: Dr. I thought u had forgotten this incidence kumbe akantu kakusigalamu. however thank u for the article and I wish many pple read it. its good enough.
Pius, you are the trouble causer of this reflection. Your birthday party led to this understanding that there is life beyond work only. You had better learn from it too because am not the only culprit but you too.
Very True, Professor. Very inspiring. You learnt from the best teacher the late J M Kibira and that’s why your good at what you do. We all learn from our mistakes. Its time to make the changes and at least they are still young. You still have time to catch up
Thanks Tracey my sister and am sure many who passed through those hardworking hands of JMK are in the same boat. Make sure you give time to those 2 young ones because they really need you. I have promised to change with the help of others.
Dr. Jude this is a great piece of advice. Thank you.
Great Prof, thanks.
We should commit to thinking of our families today and every day thereafter, and never let the busy world of today keep us from showing how much we love and appreciate our families.
#enthused
I see myself on this article. I promise to change. Nice piece
And for you Hasifa, you had better change before it is too late. The PhD reads in your face all the time, the little ones need you
In life we may be blinded to a lot of things especially success and we tend to leave behind what we hold so dear at that moment…. Good enough you have realized it early to make amends and all our support as family is at your disposal
Thanks Tinah, it applies to you too because you are hiding away from your brother for too long. Remember it is family and we need to catch up.
Great message there Prof.
Thanks Jude,too bad Mr.Kasumba cant read it now,but am gona save it for him,when he gets baçk.
Wow. God spoke right through the little Angel. Living a balanced life is not easy, we keep thinking i will finish this and then that’s it but it just never ends. So blessed by the article.
Great Inspiring lessons.We shall follow and nature those Tunnels of hard work.
Hi Prof Jude.this was a good lesson from a Prof in making. People say we are not doing our work as educationists but this is evidence that our children a learning. Thanks to Flavia. She presented her case.
Yes , you say that you learnt a lesson and I hope you know that learning alone is not good enough, take action to address a concern..
Great article it is. Truly everything starts with family. I have loved your article Prof.
This is an amazing revelation i wish my Dad could read this.