Daddy shift - Kent Ninomiya

Kent Ninomiya. A long time ago I heard that Ted Koppel spent several years away from journalism raising his kids when they were young. I heard he did this while his wife went to work or school or something because it was fair. To this day I have no idea if this story is true, however, true or not, it inspired me from a young age. I have always taken my job as a father seriously. I don't know why people have kids if they are not going to enjoy them. I can't comprehend how fathers ignore their children when they are young then wonder why they can't relate to them when they get older. Most of the job as a parent is done when the children are new. From birth through their first 5 or 6 years is the most important developmental time they will ever experience. It's a narrow window where you get to influence who they are and cement an unbreakable bond. Once that window closes it is shut forever. You can always work, but if you miss those years of your kids' lives then you miss something precious that can never be regained. I made a deliberate decision to spend as much of that quality time with my children as possible. Work is on the back burner. We play, travel, hang out. There is no specific plan. I'm just there for them. It's an investment that will pay dividends forever.

Kent Ninomiya