You've probably got thousands of pictures and videos of your kids. Everyday moments. Important moments. Milestones. Firsts. Do you really need more? Am I really suggesting adding one more thing to your already overflowing plate?
Yes, and I think you’ll be delighted that you added this one thing. The Birthday Interview.
I too have thousands of pictures and videos of my three children. And, when I think about it, I get super stressed out.
In our garage, I've got boxes and boxes, stacks and stacks of moments and pictures that were taken over the years. Some are in plastic bins. Some are in albums. Chronologically. The last album that I made was 2003. This was when I transitioned from printing pictures to keeping everything as ‘digital files.’ And, when it started to feel chaotic.
I love taking pictures and shooting videos, so between my digital camera and phone, the numbers started escalating rapidly. So now I have thousands of images, stills, ‘live’ stills, video in digital form on different digital devices, some in my computer, some on backup disks, some in the cloud.
They're everywhere, like bunnies in the Spring, but they're in no order. Hiding out in every corner of my garage. And it creates stress when I think about organizing them. I keep thinking, when I retire, when I have more time, when I get motivated… but that hasn't happened yet.
I keep shooting because life keeps presenting itself… and my digital storage devices are buckling under the weight. (I just keep buying more storage devices wondering when the current format will be obsolete.)
In contrast, the beauty of the birthday interview is that it’s simple and systematized so you’ll always know where they are.
Every year, a 10-minute video, in chronological order by child, with some of the most intimate questions and moments that you can imagine. These are the conversations that don't happen day to day as we run around trying to keep the ship moving forward.
It's so insightful to watch these films and see the incremental changes in your kids. The wins, the losses, the convictions, the worry. It’s your child as their authentic self.
Since these interviews happen on an annual basis, you can schedule them and be prepared. You’ll also look forward to this appointment because of the connection that you’ll feel while doing the interview. So, all you need to do now is schedule them as a recurring event. Then, when the date gets closer, make sure that you've got time cleared in your schedule and it is prioritized.
I'm passionate about the importance of interviewing your kids. My drumbeat is that your kids are out of your house in a blink of an eye. You want kids with roots and wings, and they take flight faster than you can imagine.
So yes, please, please add this one thing to your list. (Go schedule it NOW :)