The Dad/Developer Balance

Its really tough to be a dad of two. At the same time, the same can be said about being a web developer. Both require an ongoing learning process and a lot of patience and thinking.

The biggest challenge is the simplest to figure out. Time. I want to be a better dad, which means I need to spend time with my kids. At the same time, I want to be a better developer. Which requires me to learn about new techniques, write better code, and develop better applications. It becomes a challenge to commit time to development when you need to commit your time, your energy and your resources over to your kids. This often results in a loss of one thing I can sometimes live with. Sleep.

No one said that being a parent is easy, but having a profession in a field which requires you to keep up with trends, whats cool, and make better and more accessible applications, it brings up this challenge. The challenge of being a dad and a developer.

Is there a clear solution to this problem, No. Nor should there be. I believe the solution is to admit that there is a challenge to doing both all the time, and doing the best that you can to get both done. With that frame of mind, you can find that balance and be the best Dad/Developer you can be.