I initially thought of doing a glossary on the BTC principles I picked up throughout my time here. Then, I thought someone would have done it already, so where’s the creativity in me doing that? Since I seem to have carved a reputation as a spokesperson for parenting, let me try to apply these principles in the context of parenting.

Miners need to survey the landscape and check the energy grid to determine the periods that yield the best rewards for BTC mining. They then need to invest in sophisticated machinery to get a chance of getting Bitcoin. Likewise, you need to deploy the available resources you have to bringing up your kids. From cooking and feeding to playing and showering, the list of tasks you have to complete before bedtime is endless. No wonder many parents feel that they are living from wire to wire. I would argue that parenting is more exhausting than my full-time job.

Best illustrated by how most people don’t expect to earn profits by running their own node. It’s not just the uncertain financial rewards; it’s also the steep learning curve involved in picking up the ropes, as well as the opportunity cost Bitcoiners willingly incur. Parenting is similarly an endeavour of love. You never really understand what unconditional love is until you become a parent. @grayruby said it best, “think not ‘I have to do it’, think ‘I get to do it’,”

Many Bitcoiners remain laser focused on their sats accumulation routine. They don’t think in terms of price pumps, but look at Bitcoin as a long-term asset. How much value will it gain 5-10-20 years down the road? Similarly, parents see past the repetitive chores to think about the future men and women they are raising - and even their unborn grandchildren. They think of parenting as an immortality project that will outlast them.

Bitcoiners are reminded of the need to remain humble because they realise that they can easily lose everything in a flash if they get arrogant and don’t take the necessary precautions. On the other hand, parents usually find that they are humbled by their children at some point in time. Children have no filter and say what’s on their minds, so they have a way of expressing profound observations in ways that make you pause in your tracks. Children serve as a great reminder for us all to remain authentic.

Bitcoiners love how Bitcoin facilitates a decentralised economy in which they determine the value they derive from content creators and reward them accordingly. Zapping is a term many have grown fond of because it energises the spirit and sounds more equitable than tipping. Parents keenly recognise that what you put in is proportional to what you receive. Parents are their children’s first influencers, so the latter pick up all the positive (or negative!) habits modelled in front of them. Want to be a good parent? It starts with not outsourcing your child-rearing to screen time.

I should follow my own advice. Time to pick up my kids now. Bye! 👋