All our our dreams could come true, if you have the courage to pursue them.” ~Walt Disney
It has been a busy past few weeks, the Dominic and Brianna’s birthdays fell in March and April as well as Mother’s Day and my younger brother’s birthday. Speaking of, happy Mother’s Day to all you moms running the gauntlet to create the next generation of society’s leaders! I think it’s the toughest job between both parents because not only does the maternal connection transcend from the womb, but mom’s also must bare the bitter truth that you cannot protect your children from the world’s trials. The more you try, the more you risk pushing your child away. However, just find solace in the fact that there is no one else who will teach a child unconditional love like their mother.
Fathers, speaking from my own experience, are often solution based when raising children, and are are more focused on ensuring their children will be a positive contribution to society. Where mothers will always see their children as the tiny angels they have brought into this world. It’s a divine comedy which continues to haze new parents as the next generations join our reality. A recent experience taking the family to Disneyland Paris helped validate this hypothesis.
Disneyland Paris After Actions Review:
Claudia and I wanted to wait for the our kids to be old enough to remember their first Disney experiences. We decided to do a combined birthday gift for our kids by taking them to Disneyland Paris for their five and seven-year old birthdays. It was truly a success, however, we did learn some valuable lessons that will save a lot of time and money in the future.
Hotel:
We stayed in the Sequoia Lodge at Disneyland Paris from April 28-30. The room was a traditional Holiday Inn model with less convenience. It felt like everything in the rooms was designed to kick you out into the park to spend some money. The room only had one power outlet and spotty WiFi. The television had limited channels, but that’s a distraction when you’re at a theme park with your family. Even though it lacked the expectation of a thousand dollar a night expectation, it was still in walking distance to the park.
Restaurant:
Do not … do not … pay for the buffet restaurants in the hotels or the theme park. You will save time and money by eating in Disney Village at the Rainforest Cafe, Planet Hollywood, or the other myriad of restaurants ready to cycle through their establishments. The hotel and other reservation-based restaurants are not worth the price tag. The food was Old Country Buffet/ Golden Corral standard with a 300 percent mark up, the wait time to get seated was still around 30 minutes with a reservation, the food was not replenished in a timely manner, and drinks were limited to one refreshment (non-alcoholic). It’s definitely a cash grab, but you know what, it’s all about the kids in the end.
Rides:
Please understand the fast pass is the only way you will get on any ride in the park in 15 minutes or less. Claudia and I did not opt for this cheat code because we wanted our kids to know what it’s like to wait, a lesson in delayed gratification if you will. On average we waited between 45 minutes to an hour to get on any ride in the park. I am not a half-glass empty person, but I will tell you expectation management is key to ensuring a successfully experience at Disneyland Paris. Perspective is the best trait to get your through the Disney experience. The amount stress and anxiety added to the familial experience at Disney is exhausting. In short, Claudia and I were not the only stoic-faced, battle hardened parents in the park. We saw the dark side of humanity at Disneyland Paris, and we were no better than the rest.
There are monsters among us. There always has been and always will be. I’ve known that ever since I can remember, just like I’ve always known I was one.” ~Rob Thurman, Nightlife
Us and Them:
Many people ask how my wife and I survive without additional childcare to give us some alone time? The short answer is Claudia and I are creatures of habit and introverts by nature. Growing our family has been action packed and filled with revelations, and watching them navigate through each obstacle has been a privilege and a blessing to say the least. I used to work out to stay fit for work, but now I see Claudia and I focus on our physical fitness to keep up with our Kids.
Parenthood is a zero-sum game that results in a generation better than the previous one equipped to contribute positively to society and take the family name to the next level. Make no mistake, we all have an obligation to our ancestors to make the world better due to their hard work and sacrifices, or to make up for their shortfalls.
Your mind will take the shape of what you frequently hold in your thought, for the human spirit is colored by such impressions.” ~Marcus Aurelius, “Meditations”, as cited by “The Daily Stoic”
Warrior Anniversary:
Eighteen years ago, today, I was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. military. Since then I served proudly in a number of different geographic locations across the globe and even welcomed and farewelled my wife who served honorably during her tenure. Why is this noteworthy? I think it’s because of how Claudia approach opportunities for professional growth.
Claudia has been killing it in the real-estate industry and I recently participated in a job market combine for my next assignment. I had an awesome interview with a key leader in my career field which was highly impactful on my way forward. The last question was an easy one, “Why do you want this job?” in short, I wanted a different job, which I communicated honestly, but I will always remember the highpoint of my answer, “I’m not a military legacy, but I want to show my children they should never be afraid to take advantage if an opportunity.” At that moment I realized how much our choices shape our character.
I am a family man. There is no mistake, or flaw in that statement. The life Claudia and I created has been centered around our roles as parents. Our ambitions will always be secondary with our vices tertiary at best. The beauty our plan is its’ simplicity, for you Big Lebowski fans, we are parents first and everything else next. So to all of you mothers and fathers out there grinding and wondering if the juice is worth the squeeze, it is. All the best friends and family … one team, one family! ~Doc