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“I would blame my bad night on my bad day and expect my family to understand.” Casey Graham
A recent post by a CEO dad went viral because he implored
working parents, to “don’t let your bad day become your family’s bad night”. I’m
assuming it went viral because a lot of parents can relate to the sentiment.
Work is hard enough on its own, but when you combine the pressures of getting
your kids up and dressed, your commute, and the people you have to work with, it
can be REALLY hard on some days. It can be hard not to let those pressures seep
into your evening and infect your time with your family.
Not allowing your family to see you struggling can also seem
inauthentic. There’s this selfish mentality that has been in the public discourse
for a while. It goes something like, “I can only do what I feel.” “If I’m not
feeling it I’m not doing it.” “And, I pride myself on keeping it 100.” To me,
that line of thinking is simply an excuse for engaging I poor behavior, especially
for parents.
A coworker once told me that it is important to remember
that having a positive disposition is an essential component of any job. I agree
with her wholeheartedly, and think most people do. My conclusion is based on the
fact that most people manage to complete an entire workday by being pleasant, engaging
in common courtesies, and smiling. At work, most appreciate that the work
should not be disrupted because you’re having a rough day.
Well, the same is true of family life.
Although families are created by love they are maintained by
people digging deep and treating the people that they love with courtesy,
dignity and respect. They are not a dumping ground for your frustration,
depression, and failed dreams. Indeed, every single day, you are teaching your
children how they should approach life and treat those they claim to love.
We all have hard times, but sometimes you don’t need to keep it real. You just need to keep it respectful.
Being able to treat everyone in the household well, despite
what you may be going through teaches your kids a valuable lesson, “there is no
excuse for treating those we love badly”. Period the end. And, although many
people forget that this lesson is taught through behavior and not words, it is
no different that the other lessons you teach. Most people teach their kids
that they should respect authority, regardless of frustration. Most people
teach their kids to use good table manners, even if they are really hungry. Most
people teach their kids (after they are potty trained) that they must also use
the toilet, even if they have to go really badly.
If you wouldn’t tolerate your potty-trained kid sh*tting on
the floor, don’t sh*t on your family because you had a bad day or are having a
rough time.
Thanks to Casey Graham for bringing this issue to light and
for including details about what he did to change. Read his post included below. I hope his sentiment
resonates with working parents everywhere.
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