Episode 2: The Value of Time
In a world that doesn’t slow down, how often do we stop to consider the true value of our time and what time really means for us? In a powerful episode of Message for My Kids, the host talks about one of life’s most precious resources, time. This episode is a powerful message to their children and a wake-up call for parents and anyone seeking to prioritize what truly matters in life.
Why Time Matters More Than Anything Else
Time is the one thing we can’t get back, and in this episode, the host shares personal stories of how they came to understand this important truth. They speak of lessons learned through difficult experiences, moments of regret, and the wisdom gained along the way. Whether it’s time spent with loved ones or avoiding distractions that don’t serve us a purpose, the message is clear: how we spend our time defines our lives.
Key Takeaways from the Episode
Listeners will find practical tips and thought-provoking insights, including:
Valuing Time: Why treating time as a limited resource can change the way use our time.
Making Hard Decisions: Determining whether someone or something is truly worth your time.
Avoiding Regret: Lessons learned from mistakes and how these mistakes bring clarity. Through heartfelt storytelling, the host emphasizes the importance of cherishing time with family and thinking how you will use your time in everyday choices.
Something for Everyone
While this podcast is rooted in sharing life lessons for the host’s children, the wisdom extends far beyond parenting. Parents will appreciate the reminder to value time spent with their kids, while anyone on a journey of self-improvement will relate with the episode’s theme of living with purpose. Time waits for no one, but with thoughtful decisions, we can make every moment count.
Ready to reflect on how you spend your most valuable resource? Listen to this episode of Message for My Kids and discover how to reclaim your time and live more intentionally.
Listen to Episode in the Player Above or Read the Transcript Below:
Welcome back. I wanted to explain another thing that I've learned in life, it's about time.
And time is precious. I'm not talking about something where you think time is understanding who to spend it with, or like a significant one, wife or a husband. I'm talking more of your time.
And as we get older, we look at our past. We look at our past and see what we have accomplished and what we haven't. Some people just spend time doing what they want to do rather than what they need to do. And/or they just coast it in life and don't understand that time is running out.
What I mean by "running out" is, in a lifetime, there's only so much time that you have. I know I have less time than I had 10 years old. There's also times that I remember when I should have spent more time with you guys when you were younger.
To me, I always thought that the older you get, the more time we can spend because the more you can comprehend. For example, right now, you guys are in school and you guys can comprehend sentences. You guys can comprehend what to do if I ask you to do it. So I figured that if we were playing a board game or we’re doing something, video games or during a movie, you guys would comprehend it. So we could spend more time because you can comprehend it.
I was wrong. I was very, very wrong. I should have spent more time with you guys individually rather than doing what I thought needed to be done.
And I remember when I was younger, there was times where I would promise you guys that I would spend time with you, and next thing, I am literally at someone else's house. We're having fun, group of people, and then I don’t come home until 3 o’clock in the morning, 4 o’clock. And either you guys are sleeping on the floor because you had a slumber party, or you guys come and rush me, “Dad, dad, dad!” And I was like, whoa...
I’m glad you guys had fun, but it’s really all about the time. Your time. And respectful time. If you do stuff that you're not gonna regret for the future, because time is limited.
That's what I learned. It's about time. That you can get older and understand that you spent a lot of time. You don't want to regret the times that you spent just doing nothing. Take it account, either it's a hobby, either it’s playing video games with the individual that you really love spending time with, playing video games. Or even watching movies, or playing board games, or doing fun activities, or hanging outside playing, rather than doing time that you’re gonna regret.
I can't promise you guys that you're gonna grow up and have a fabulous time or that you're gonna grow up and not regret time. What I’m saying is: respect your time.
You can't just do what other people want you to do. For example, when I was younger, they would be like, “Hey, what are you doing? You want to hang out? You want to hang out? You want to chill tonight?” Yeah, for sure, we’ll hang out. And I didn't value my time. I didn't value my time as a person. I didn't value my time as an individual who had loved ones around me. I just coasted. Coasted it.
And luckily, I caught on what I was doing wrong at a young age. I realized: my time is precious. My time is my time.
Somebody invites me? I told them, “Tell me three days ahead.” You know, give me three days advance of plans. And that made me filter if I wanted to go or not. If I didn’t want to go, I’d just make up an excuse and say I couldn’t. Can’t. It depended on the person as well. I’m not just gonna go and do anything anymore.
There’s some times where I could have spent time with your mom, and I regret not doing that. There’s times where I could’ve spent with you, and I regret not doing that. At the same time, I couldn’t hover over you 24/7, because how are you supposed to grow up if I hovered over you 24/7?
Mentally, you wouldn't even be able to grow up. I truly believe that you have to kind of be on your own. Do some mischief stuff just so you can grow as a person.
If you grow as a person, I think you learn a lot, a lot quicker, a lot better, rather than me hovering over you. And then you're not gonna know what to do when you're 18. Off to college, you're going to college and you have other individuals who've been on their own, who know what to say and what to do. And they’ll know it. And they’ll seek it.
They know between the innocent and not innocent. And everybody knows that. There’s individuals who know that. And they know the other people know.
But if I would leave you off with anything: value your time. Either it’s reading a book, its coloring, jogging, running, exercising, time. Because time is limited.
It doesn't have to be one thing and be like, “Oh, I need to spend time with the person I love.” It doesn't have to be, “I need to spend a lot of time with my kids 24/7.” No. That’s not gonna work. And it's not gonna work because there’s not enough time in the world that I can spend with you kids.
And no matter what, I can go to bed and wake up, go to bed and wake up and go to bed and wake up, and in between, I can be spending time with you guys. But it’s not enough. So you have to, you have to, precious your time. Understand what you’re doing. Understand what you want and need at the same time. Don’t regret it. Don’t regret it. It is your time.
Hey, in the future, if I'm not being the proper dad that you think, and you think that I’m not being the proper parent where I’m not supporting you, and I don’t deserve your time. That’s your choice. That is your choice, 100%.
And the same thing goes with anybody in this world, from politics, to actors. If there’s an actor and you don’t like the actor or actresses, the way they are, why are you gonna waste your time watching a certain movie?
If there’s a politician and you don’t like them, why are you gonna watch them on channels and stuff like that. Like it makes no sense.
So just narrow it down. Narrow it down with friends, individuals, and don't regret it. Because when you value your time, and you can wake up the next day and say, “I'm glad I did it,” or just feel good about it, you know you’re valuing your time.
If you want to go to a family barbecue, if you want to go to a family event, you want to go to theaters, you can wake up the next day and say, “I’m glad I went.”
For example, real quick, I went to the theaters, and I didn’t take you guys. And I didn’t take your mom. And I went to the theaters and I watched a movie. The movie was horrible. Horrible. Horrible beyond horrible. And I was so excited for it because it was like a remake of a movie, you know?
But I don’t regret it. I don’t regret it. My time is precious.
So much good came out of that. The good was: the movie was horrible. I’m glad you guys didn’t watch it. And it was very inappropriate. So I’m glad I didn’t buy it. Waste of money.
Talking about money, time is literally, to me, is above...
Time is above money. Money comes and goes. Time does not. I love you kids, and there's another message for my kids
