Day 6: Family First and Work a Close Second

Wish 6: Hug Your Kids Today!

Michelle Nichols had it made. She was a regular contributor to Businessweek. She had a lucrative speaking business. And she has a loving husband and daughter.

What she doesn’t have is her son Mark Steven.

Mark Nichols died unexpectedly ten years ago from brain cancer at the age of 8. Michelle felt that she didn’t hug him enough while he was with them.

And so, Michelle gave up her column and the speaking business to work full time on a simple message: “Hug Your Kids Today!”

I met Michelle online when I commented against a sales style she suggested in her regular “Savvy Selling” column in Businessweek. She responded and I had been subscribing to her emailed column since then. Last year, she stopped sending those bulletins. The next time she emailed, she was calling it quits and wanted our understanding and prayers. Not knowing what to make of it, we just did.

And now she promotes hugging kids, in memory of her son. The focus is not on a ‘work-life’ balance, but a priority: Put your family first and your work a close second. Her website is www.hugyourkidstoday.com.

Some people think she’s crazy to let a successful business go. Others admire her courage.

I happen to believe in her advocacy. One of the campaigns is a “National Hug Your Kids Day”, which is the third Monday in July. And you can help. If you can get a billboard company to sponsor just one billboard that day with the message, that would be great. Last July 21, 2008, there were 135 billboards in the USA with that message.

My wish is for us to hug our kids as often as possible. TODAY! Even if they appear to tire from it, they really don’t.