The most precious thing in his life

As Ferris Bueller said, "Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it." (How was 1986 forty years ago?!)

I read a recent article where Matthew Broderick, now in his sixties, said "Having kids makes you much more aware of the calendar... You can feel time passing when you have kids." Does that ever hit home. I feel like I blinked and Adeline is almost three-months-old already and very quickly leaving the newborn phase behind.

I think recognizing the fleeting nature of childhood is why, according to the American Institute for Boys and Men (AIBM), men are working less.

The stats are staggering, and I could go into the numbers, but the gist is that husbands are cutting their hours at the office in order to spend more time with their families. In addition, fathers of young children are participating in more direct childcare and household tasks than ever before. 

I see this in my own home while Joe is in the midst of the most intense season at work he's had since the day we met. He's crushing it with his own startup, and yet he still makes time for our family. Like when without me even asking, he takes Rose outside to play soccer after dinner, or runs beside her on her Strider in the morning before biking her to summer camp drop off. Not to mention the fact that he cooked almost all of our meals for the entire first year of Rose's life. 

Despite the no doubt tremendous pressure he feels, he sees enough value in family time to prioritize me and the girls. Even though we have even less free time as a family of four, somehow we are spending more quality time together than ever. 

Family is everything to us and he treats us like the most precious thing in his life. In fact, I think we can all see how much dads are stepping up. The data clearly agrees. 

"For the first time, it is husbands and fathers, rather than wives and mothers, driving the change." 

(AIBM, 13 May 2026)

With Father's Day just around the corner, I'd love to see what other shifts you're seeing and how this change is being affirmed.

For me, it's delightful to see little old ladies lean in and admire what a good dad Joe is when we're out and about. It even happened in France when though I couldn't quite catch all the words, I understood the sentiment. Those moments make me so proud of the life we have built. 

Broadly speaking, it's encouraging to see that while the division of labor may never be a perfect 50/50 split, there is a convergence in the weight we carry—and it extends beyond traditional gender norms.

So, to the dads out there, keep playing to your strengths, keep learning on the go. We see you. 

And to Joe, keep making us so incredibly proud to witness you in fatherhood. We appreciate you more than you know. 

Just. Be. You. 

P.S. I'd love to hear what fatherhood looks like in your family. What are the little things that the dads in your life do that make you smile?

How cute is this throwback to our newborn photo shoot with Rose?!? Feels like yesterday AND a lifetime ago.