"If you're not going to play with me, I'm not going to play with you."
That’s a phrase I hear almost every day from my son. It sounds like a threat, but really, it’s his way of saying: “Dad, come be part of my world.”
At this stage, life for him is all about playing 🧸—before eating, after bathing, at school, before bed. Play is everything.
Sometimes it makes me nervous, because I’m not always in the mood 💤. I get tired, need rest, or just want quiet. But he shows up with a toy and a plan: "You play with this, and I’ll play with that." Or asks, "What toy you want to play?"
He’s sweet… and sometimes a little bossy.
Even if I hesitate, I almost always say yes. Because honestly, I enjoy it. I’m a big kid too 🎈. And more than anything, I believe every child deserves to play with their dad.
So I get on the floor, sword in hand or building blocks. And in those moments—messy, loud, full of laughter—I remember: this is what matters ✨.