There is no getting past the fact that life is busy. It seems that each year goes by faster and my son is getting bigger before my eyes. Some mornings I look at him and I could swear he grew three inches in the night. As men we can get so busy with the day to day responsibilities of life. I find that if I am not consciously present with my son a whole day can go by and I didn’t even feel I was with him. For me nothing is worse at the end of a Saturday and put him to bed and I know that the whole day he wanted my attention but other (far less important things) kept me distracted. These are some simple rules I try to live by to make sure I don’t miss the most important moments in my life. 

1. Get on the floor. Get off the couch or chair and sit on the floor. Get onto your child’s level and look them in the eye. I find that my sons whole mood changes when I get on the floor with him and start playing.
2. If you are cooking in the kitchen pull the baby chair close so your baby can see what you are doing. Obviously don’t put you kid near anything they could pull down but instead of my son sitting in his high chair in the dining room (the rooms are open plan) I like to pull him next to me. If I am cutting carrots he can try carrot. It is a really nice way of making them feel more connected
3. The big one….get off your phone! That stupid little box has the power to take away hours of attention from your day and your children. I know the world doesn’t stop when I am with my son so I have make sure I have dedicated time with my phone off or in the other room.

I hope these tips help. As cliché as it might be life is short and so take those steps to make sure you are present and in the moment with those most important to you.