A Letter to My Son and Daughter

Edgar EscotoJune 17, 2018OtherComments are off for this post

Derek and Haylee,

If you’re reading this, congratulations. You have survived several years on this planet. Now, don’t let that go to your head – most of your peers have accomplished the same feat.

I still can’t believe you are now 9 and 5!

You went from completely immobile to rolling, then crawling, and now running.

You’ve brought me sleepless nights, ER visits, and many poopy diapers, but you’ve also brought me unforgettable moments, hilarious laughter, and so many happy smiles.

Why you’re here

By any logical definition, there really aren’t any good reasons to have a baby. It’s not like we live on a farm and can look forward to forcing you into manual labor in a few years.

You cost time, money, and freedom — 3 things I happen to value quite a bit.

And yet, here you are.

So why are you here?

You’re here because deep down your mom and I believed you would make us better and happier people (selfish, I know), but also that the world would be better off and happier with you in it.

So we made you. Don’t ask how.

What you’re up against

So far your life has been pretty chill. You’ve had people taking care of you from the second you were born.

I don’t want to scare you, but it won’t always be that way.

Someday you’ll have to take care of yourself, each other, and maybe even take care of us. I know! Weird, right?

On second thought, we’ll probably have robot butlers by then.

I am doing my best to prepare you for this, but the truth is I have no idea what I’m doing. Your world is remarkably different than the one I grew up in.

I can’t say what the future holds, but I think you’ll be OK. You seem to have a good head on your shoulders and that’s good because you’ll need it.

You’ll need it to figure out the challenges that come your way.

You’ll need it as a filter. There’s a flood of information that’s about to hit you, and you need a powerful filter to determine what’s actually important.

And here’s the thing. Most things aren’t actually that important.

But most of all, you’ll need it to communicate and to connect with people, to contribute, and to create.

Fatherly advice

This letter is getting kind of long, so let me wrap up with a few words of advice I think will serve you well in the coming years:

Play hard.

Stay curious. Experiment. Explore.

Don’t sweat the small stuff.

Build things you care about with people you care about.

Remember, you get to define your own success. I learned this from my dad; it’s just taken decades for it to sink in. I hope we have that kind of time together too.

Much love,

–Dad

P.S. It’s important to get better every day.

You won’t always be the best, but you can get better every day. That’s what I strive for and what I hope you strive for too.

P.P.S. This world can be a scary place, but if you stick together, it becomes a lot less scary. Don’t let anything or anyone tear you apart.

Learn together. Play together. Love each other. Do that and you’ll be okay.

Want to read more of my stuff? Here are some of my faves:

Business & Performance

Minimalism

Relationships

About Ed

Ed Escoto is a dad to two cool kids! Other than his kids, his passions revolve around creating things and adding life to his years.

He is an Analyst, writer, self-proclaimed minimalist, and the author of seven books in multiple genres. Several of his books became Amazon #1 Best Sellers and #1 New Releases. His most recent book was My First Spanish Numbers Colors Shapes – the fifth book in his children’s book series [DH Books].

Divorced Before 30 was his debut into writing. He shares his story about overcoming the challenges of divorce, moving forward, and becoming a better version of himself. He shares everything: the ups, the downs, and every OH SHIT moment in between.

His life was planned out and then life happened! Married and divorced before his 30th birthday, started several businesses, but most failed, and a career that once focused entirely on numbers is now a combination of numbers, words, and art.

Edgar Escoto

Edgar Escoto is a dad to two cool kids. After that, he's a corporate finance guy, writer, real estate investor, and self-proclaimed minimalist. His passions revolve around creating things and adding life to his years.