Dad, don't you get a Summer Vacation

What a great question from my young man of the house. Don't you get summer vacation? At the wise old age of eight he has figured out that being a dad might require you to go to work even in the summer time! Why don't you get the summer off? This caused some discussion about why can't you just stay home, read books, play with your friends, go to the pool, fish, ride bikes, play basketball and travel. You know, just hang out!

I started to give the speech about responsibility, needing a source of income, him wanting a college education. There was even a comment about the cost of gas coming from the recesses of my brain. Then it dawned on me. Who is the brighter of the two. He is asking me about vacation and I'm about to justify why I have to work. Who is being the teacher now.

When I was asked about the work versus fun I was looking over a presentation for work. My son had come up from the basement with two Wii controllers in his hands. We discussed the work concept, having to get up early, and he asked if it was fun. Amazing! I really do enjoy what I do for a career. But, he had me doing some real examination of the whole concept.

Let's put it this way. The next activity we participated in together was not a discussion about project management or Six Sigma or anything work related. We were down stairs playing Wii Baseball, Tennis, and Bowling. The student had become the teacher.