ALLURE MEDICAL - all•u Magazine all·u Magazine Summer 2017 | Page 24

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