A dad's tip to appreciate the crucial parenting years has gone viral on TikTok, and he told Newsweek why it is so important to cherish every moment of family time.
In the video, River Hately-Richards, 35, explains that you'll be your kids' favorite person for 10 years but after that, they'll have other central figures in their lives and these short-lived moments will be gone for good.
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He said the audio he chose for the video "rang true" for his family of two growing girls and that he posted it as reminder to him and his wife Corinne, 33, as well as other parents, to embrace the present.
"Ten years seems such a small amount of time and the point of the audio [on the TikTok video], is that time is fleeting with young kids so spend as much time with them as you can," River Hately-Richards told Newsweek.
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When their daughter, Mila, was born, the couple decided to be more present and hands-on as parents. As a three-year-old now, Hately-Richards said how outgoing she is, with a huge zest for life and desire to be everyone's friend in the "most kind-hearted way."
"If us being 'more' present in her life has played a part in any of those traits then that's a bonus, but really the changes have been in us," the dad of two girls added.
Comments on his video seem to reflect his advice, with some saying how their mom or dad is still their favorite person.
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One 35-year-old TikTok user wrote: "I have friends, husband, kids but my mum has been through it all with me and I hope I am the same to my kids."
Others were deeply moved by Hately-Richards' key message and one commented that they "instantly started crying" while watching the video: "My son is only 10 months old but I'm already mentally prepared for this moment."
Hately-Richards, who created travel blog North South Travels with his wife, told Newsweek they "worked harder than ever" to make this their full-time business, allowing them to spend every day with their kids and show them the world.
"Our priorities shifted as soon as she [Mila] was born. We didn't want to have kids to have someone else raise them, we were conscious we wanted to be very present and involved in raising her."
Users in the comments also agreed that time is a fleeting concept and it's important to cherish those early years with your children.
The video, which has amassed over 800,000 views, captures special moments between dad Hately-Richards and his daughters on their traveling adventures.
One user shared: "This is so true! Now that all of my babies (5 kids) are older and I am so thankful for those awesome years together when they were little ones."
Acknowledging that there will always be good and bad days, Hately-Richards told Newsweek that being present with his kids is "what life's all about" for him and Corinne.
As a final message, he advised: "Don't postpone joy or work all their small years away. [I'm] always thinking ahead to when I'm 40+, 50+ because our children won't be children anymore by then."
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Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
Daniella Gray is a Newsweek Family & Parenting Reporter based in London, U.K. Her focus is on family dynamics, childhood ... Read more
