Missed opportunity or Time well spent????

Last night was Halloween and instead of spending the night Trick or Treating with my daughter I was stuck in my Keyboarding class stroking away at the keys. As I sat in class I began to think of all of the fun she was potentially having and how much I was dreading my next "timed writing". No amount of candy or caffeine products could compare to the joy of being with her as she ran from door to door with her Kool-Aid smile collecting candy.

If it’s not already known by now my daughter is my heart and I would go well beyond the call of duty to make her happy. So what does a Father do when he has to choose between school or spending time with his child? On one hand I could have skipped school and went out with her and had a ball till she passed out but then again how much class work would I have missed let alone notes that didn’t get taken due to me not being present. On the other hand I could go to school and get my fill of education for the day possibly learning new and exciting things or maybe just meeting someone new. As a single Father attending work and school full-time these types of decisions come by the boat load and pretty much on a daily basis. There seems to rarely be a situation when you are allowed to compromise with yourself because you basically either “do” or you “don’t”.

At this point in her life she doesn’t realize the sacrifices that her mommy and daddy make to give and the things she has and provide her time and attention that she needs. So how do you try to creatively communicate with a 3 year-old and tell her that “Although Daddy loves you very much I have to go to school tonight and learn so that I can make a better future for us”?