stumbled upon an image today that initially didn’t strike me as anything special. But as I thought about it more, it began to resonate deeply with me.

As dads (and mums), we are among the wealthiest people alive—not in terms of money, but in what truly matters. We work hard, day and night, to provide for our families, to give our kids “all the things we never had.” But stop for a moment—are we missing something important?

Growing up, my family wasn’t the richest, but we weren’t the poorest either. There were kids around us who had far less, and some who had much more. But when I look back on my childhood, I don’t remember wanting for anything. Sure, there were toys and treats I wished for but never got, yet what stands out most are the simple, happy times. And that’s what I want to pass on to my kids because those are the memories that truly last.

Even now as an adult, I find myself working hard to provide for my family—to buy the latest gadgets, the newest phone, or the brand-new gaming console. We’re bombarded daily with messages telling us to “get this” or “buy that,” and it’s easy to fall into the habit of thinking these things will make us happy.

But then something simple happens, like the other day when I was playing with my little one on the carpet. We were just coloring pictures and playing together. I’d draw a man, she’d draw a sheep, and suddenly we’re playing farms. She’d draw a car, I’d draw a car, and now we’re racing. We spent over an hour like this, just having fun, laughing, and using our imaginations. No need for fancy toys or gadgets—just us, enjoying each other’s company.

I’m not naive enough to think that this will entertain us forever or that we can skip the Christmas lists and birthday presents. But that hour reminded me of something important: we had all we needed to connect, to relax, to cheer each other up, and to bond. In that moment, I felt like the richest dad in the world, and it had nothing to do with money. I realized that true wealth is found in family and friends, not in possessions and things.

Once again, my little one reminded me that “The play is in the child, not the toy.”

All the best, Dads.