If I were you I'd probably spend time with my kids. They're only young once and getting to enjoy those years would probably mean the most to me.
It's about building the memories and the trust (in both directions) that anchors the family together. That'll pay off as they grow older and come into their own identities and start to drift away from you into their own lives.
It's partly about setting up opportunities for the big events that people idealize and have nostalgia for. If you're not there, you can't have those great experiences.
It's partly about having the bad experiences. Sometimes those matter more in the long run for building the deep, meaningful, and lasting relationship.
The day-to-day often sucks and often isn't "enjoyed". But the cumulative results of the time and the good and the bad - that takes long-term investment.
I admit I don’t know that many parents personal enough to know if most are feeling more burdened than not. I would hope that is not the case.
It is enjoyable to watch them grow and putting energy into kids when they are young feels rewarding.
Pretty much everything a kid does is important and/or rewarding biologically to the parents.
I've noticed parents don't talk about it in public, they've forgotten what it is like to be single and wrapped up in work.
Parents often only say that 'you should have kids' and 'it's great' with no further description of what it is like.
Parents are a strange phenomena, they become tribal and grounded, once a man becomes a father.
