18 SUMMERS
Jim Sheils has a clear purpose: to deepen relationships and improve education. He is an
entrepreneur and author of the popular book, The Family Board Meeting, which is helping
parents worldwide reconnect with their kids in fun and experiential ways. Jim is an avid
surfer and lives in St Augustine, Florida, with his beautiful wife, Jamie, and his four children.
YOU’VE GOT 18 SUMMERS
SPENDING TIME WITH YOUR CHILDREN
JOE WELDON is in his mid-70s,
but if you met him, you’d guess he’s
in his 50s. He still goes waterskiing
with his family. He’s also one of the
best speaking coaches in the world.
About two years ago when Joel and
I were developing some talks for
board meetings, we got into a deep
conversation about family and how
fleeting time really is. That day, Joel
said something that reshaped my
entire perspective on family and
the time I spend with my kids:
“Jim, you’ve got 18 summers. You
understand what I’m saying? You’ve
really only got those 18 summers
together with your kids. That’s it.
Sure they’ll still be your kids after
that, but I’m telling you, it’s different.
You gotta grab those 18 summers
and really make the most of them.
And boy, do they go by quick!”
A lot of you are probably doing
the simple math right now for each
of your kids. Crazy, isn’t it?!
And I really felt under the gun with
my adopted sons since I didn’t adopt
them until ages five and seven. This
gave me a positive push to grab
the time that we’ve got together.
You can’t stop time and you can’t
ignore this simple math equation.
So this summer, why not really step
into it? Get done what you need to and
go home early. Put the smartphone
away! You’ve got a lifetime of emails
and social media ahead of you, but
you’ve only got 18 summers with your
kids. (Some of you probably missed
a few summers already because of
busywork and iPhone interruptions.)
This summer can be different.
It’s just starting and you now
know the math. You’ve got 18
summers. Go grab this one.
24
SUMMER 2017