away, but for the most part I'm fortunate to work for a company that allows me to balance the demands of work with the responsibilities of being a dad.
FLM: There seems to be a major consensus that what kids want most of all is your time. How do you manage your time? What’s a typical day look like?
PF: My typical day begins at 5 AM. I get up and go to the gym early in the morning when my kids are still sleep. I do this so that I can come home and spend as much time with them as possible without having to sacrifice any of their awake time. I typically try and make it home for dinner, or at least before their bed time so that I can tuck them in and kiss them goodnight. My days are filled with meetings, lunches, or after-work activities, I am at a point in my professional career where I'm able to be more selective of the events that I need to attend. There was a time when I felt that in order to advance in my career I needed to network after work and be very visible. I am at a point in my career where my networking is more strategic. I rarely show up at an event unless I have a specific reason why I want or need to be there. This allows me to spend more time at home with my loved ones.
FLM: How do you balance the desire to excel in your career and provide for your family, but show up for your kids?
PF: I believe there is a time and a place for everything. I have learned to prioritize and understand when I need to invest more time into my career and or job duties, and when I need to spend more time with family. I am very clear as to what is important and the sacrifices I'm willing or not willing to make in order to fulfill my duties as a husband, a father, and an employee. My career is very important to me; it has allowed me to be able to provide for my family. Both my wife and I have had the opportunity to have great careers and opportunities that have allowed my kids to grow up in a much more comfortable environment than both my wife and I did. This sometimes comes at a cost and yes, there were times earlier in our careers where we had to spend more time in the office while developing our careers than perhaps at home. This is always the conundrum that professional parents struggle with. I however, firmly believe that balancing your desire to excel in your career and provide for your family isn't a Zero sum game. It shouldn't be an "either/or" but rather a "both/and".
FLM: How do you stay involved in your kid’s lives? Do you take them to school? Take them to work with you? Ever take them to work events? Or run errands with you?
PF: I'm very involved in my kids’ lives and make sure they are exposed to both daddy and mommy’s work. For example, they are actively engaged with my wife as she tries to grow her business. My wife recently switched careers, a former General Counsel for a private equity firm she is now the CEO and Founder of Reimagine Play, a company focused on kids' health and wellness. Our daughters help with developing the layout for the pop up fitness classes and boot camps for kids. We use them as consultants and they are great at letting us know what works and what doesn't. They have been to my office and understand that daddy has to put on a suit every day and go into the office. They have been exposed to my work, my colleagues and know what I do for a living.
FLM: How has your professional success shielded them from some of the dangers out there today?
PF: My professional success and that of my wife has allowed my children to grow up in a world where they are as shielded from some dangers a lot of kids in our communities face on a daily basis. They understand that they are growing up in somewhat of a privileged position. This is a two-edge sword as it also means that as parents we need to do a better job to teach them how to be savvy and to be smart enough to navigate difficult or dangerous situations if we aren't around.
FLM: Social Media? There’s a lot of talk about kids abusing social media like snapchat and Facebook. Do you have any rules about social media? Video games?
PF: My kids at this stage aren't allowed on social media. They are too young to be exposed, and as parents we don't feel the need to allow them to have access to these tools as yet. There are too many ways in which social media can expose kids to unsavory and dangerous things or people. We have made a decision that our girls won't have access to any of these until they get to an age where they can manage the tools in a responsible and safe way.
FLM: How do you give your attention to each of your girls?
PF: While we do things together as a family, each of my kids get their own time with me and my wife. They are each different and as such we try and spend as much individual time with each. Whether taking my oldest to a Celtics or Red Sox game, or going bike riding with my youngest, both of them are unique and I'm trying to create memories for each of them that they can cherish as they get older.