Lessons from Fatherhood and the Field
There’s something about milestones that makes you pause. My son is graduating from high school and heading into the next chapter of his life, college. And as much pride as I feel watching him cross that stage, there’s also a quiet reflection happening under the surface. Maybe it’s the engineer in me, or maybe it’s just the dad.
I’ve always believed in gathering as much information as possible. Whether I’m solving a network issue for a client or helping one of my kids navigate life, the more data I have, the better decisions I can make. Over the years, I’ve sharpened that skill, not just collecting information, but knowing how to filter it. What matters now? What can wait? What’s noise, and what’s a signal?
Raising kids, I’ve learned, is like running a live system. You’ve got real-time feedback, constant updates, unexpected errors, and moments of absolute brilliance. But unlike servers, kids don’t come with patch notes. You have to listen, really listen, to catch what’s going on beneath the surface.
I’ve spent a lot of time learning my children’s language, not just the words they use, but how they express emotions, how they show you when something’s off. I know now that what I say isn’t always what they hear. So I check in. I ask, “What did you hear when I said that?” And if the message missed the mark, I don’t double down, I adjust. It’s a process, just like troubleshooting a system. You test, tweak, retest. You don’t give up on the connection; you fix it.
In my work with GC Network Solutions, this mindset shows up every day. IT isn’t just about machines. It’s about people. It’s about communication, reliability, and trust. Clients rely on me not just to solve problems, but to understand what really needs to be solved. Sometimes it’s not just a slow network, it’s the stress of not being able to respond to customers. Sometimes it’s not a broken printer, it’s the frustration of feeling behind. The more I listen, the better I can serve.
As a father and as an engineer, I see life as a series of systems we’re all trying to optimize. Some days everything clicks, and other days you’re chasing bugs. But the key is staying engaged, staying curious, and staying flexible.
My son is stepping into a new phase with a solid foundation. Not perfect, but solid. And I realize that’s all any of us really need, a strong base, and the confidence to build from it.
Whether I’m at a client site or sitting at the kitchen table, I’m always doing the same thing: listening, adjusting, supporting. Because growth, whether in networks or people, isn’t about being flawless. It’s about being connected.
