Every dad knows this song, Harry Chapin’s classic “Cat’s in the Cradle”. It was a number one hit in 1974 and originally written as a poem by Harry’s wife Sandie who received credit as co-writer of the song. Incidentally, she didn’t write it about Harry’s relationship with their son as commonly believed but actually about the relationship her first husband had with his ultra busy politician father. Still, the message of the song is eternal and extremely important for all fathers.

As a father of three kids ages 9, 5 and 3, I continue to remind myself every day that they are the most important things in my life. It’s not my job, or writing or anything else. I also do my best to savor as many of these precious moments as I possibly can. I already know how fleeting all of this is. I look at my oldest boy Nicholas who’s almost as tall as me at age nine and I am in shock because I swear that I remember holding him as a newborn at the hospital just yesterday! I know it’s a cliche and it’s been said countless times, but it’s worth repeating. Time does fly, whether you’re having fun or not! You might as well choose to have fun with your family and enjoy as many of those moments as possible.

The song always gets me. I’ve always included it in every CD that I’ve created for each of my children. I’ll never forget the night Nicholas asked me to explain the song while I tucked him into bed. He’d heard it for years but he was old enough now to understand it more. By the end of the song we were both in tears and hugging each other tightly. We didn’t say a word cause we just knew how we felt. We still play that CD a lot and just smile when that song comes on.

Cat’s in the Cradle

A child arrived just the other day,
He came to the world in the usual way.
But there were planes to catch, and bills to pay.
He learned to walk while I was away.
And he was talking ‘fore I knew it, and as he grew,
He’d say, “I’m gonna be like you, dad.
You know I’m gonna be like you.”
And the cat’s in the cradle and the silver spoon,
Little boy blue and the man in the moon.
“When you coming home, dad?” “I don’t know when,
But we’ll get together then.
You know we’ll have a good time then.”
My son turned ten just the other day.
He said, “Thanks for the ball, dad, come on let’s play.
Can you teach me to throw?” I said, “Not today,
I got a lot to do.” He said, “That’s ok.”
And he walked away, but his smile never dimmed,
Said, “I’m gonna be like him, yeah.
You know I’m gonna be like him.”
And the cat’s in the cradle and the silver spoon,
Little boy blue and the man in the moon.
“When you coming home, dad?” “I don’t know when,
But we’ll get together then.
You know we’ll have a good time then.”
Well, he came from college just the other day,
So much like a man I just had to say,
“Son, I’m proud of you. Can you sit for a while?”
He shook his head, and he said with a smile,
“What I’d really like, dad, is to borrow the car keys.
See you later. Can I have them please?”
And the cat’s in the cradle and the silver spoon,
Little boy blue and the man in the moon.
“When you coming home, son?” “I don’t know when,
But we’ll get together then, dad.
You know we’ll have a good time then.”
I’ve long since retired and my son’s moved away.
I called him up just the other day.
I said, “I’d like to see you if you don’t mind.”
He said, “I’d love to, dad, if I could find the time.
You see, my new job’s a hassle, and the kid’s got the flu,
But it’s sure nice talking to you, dad.
It’s been sure nice talking to you.”
And as I hung up the phone, it occurred to me,
He’d grown up just like me.
My boy was just like me.
And the cat’s in the cradle and the silver spoon,
Little boy blue and the man in the moon.
“When you coming home, son?” “I don’t know when,
But we’ll get together then, dad.
You know we’ll have a good time then.