The Long Road of Parenthood

They say it’s about the journey, not the destination. As a dad of two boys, I learn that lesson every day.

Parenting is a marathon, not a sprint. The rewards aren’t immediate—you don’t get a salary or a promotion for making it through a tantrum or helping with homework.

The real reward isn’t what we get; it’s what we become.

Our family road trips are the perfect example. We spend way more time driving than we do at whatever destination we’re heading to. But those car rides are where the magic happens.

We’re stuck together for hours with nowhere to go and nothing else to do. No buzzing, no distractions.

Just us, singing along to whatever my kids are obsessed with that week (me badly faking the lyrics I don’t know) and somehow shifting from silly songs to deep questions like, “Appa, what’s God like?” or “Why do people have to die?”

As parents, we often focus on the big moments—first steps, first day of school, graduation, and so on.

But the real good stuff happens in between.

It’s the process of showing up every day that transforms you.

The patience you learn, the resilience you build, the unconditional love you give—that’s the true reward.

Together on the Long Road of Parenthood