A writer—and, I believe, generally all persons—must think that whatever happens to him or her is a resource.
—Jorge Luis Borges
The thing about being a parent is that it gives you superpowers—or at least a superpower. Nothing too special. You can’t fly. You can’t stop bullets with your chest. But you are able, at least with the right frame of mind, to be serene and happy in the kinds of situations that make everyone else miserable.
A delayed flight. A sick day. Traffic. A pandemic. These are things other people dread. Parents certainly don’t look forward to them either, but they always have this: they understand it’s more time they get to spend with their kids.
All the inconveniences of life are, through the lens of our superpower, an opportunity to hang out with the people we love most! Who can beat that? In fact, delayed flights and traffic or a rainy day are some of the best opportunities, period . . . because now your kids are trapped! Who cares if they don’t want to spend time with you? You’ve got them where you want them.
So don’t complain about the inconveniences. Enjoy them. They’re a blessing. Now you get to spend more time with your kids.