Blessings, Disguised as Inconvenience

I'm a bad parent.  Now, before you go all sympathetic on me, hear me out, because I'm not seeking any unwarranted back-pats or compliments, rather just stating a self-aware fact.  I've done things as a parent I'm not proud of.  I haven't always put my kids first.  Usually, it's unintentional, but aren't "unintentions" truly intended on some subconscious level?  I'm also a bad dieter.  Terrible, in fact, to the point that I had my stomach re-assembled so I could lose weight.  Does that mean that I now give up?  On either count?  No.  I sit here, typing my little heart out, all the while desperately trying to ignore the soft loaf of wheat bread crying out to me from the counter to be toasted and slathered in butter.  I will continue to attempt to ignore the siren call of its wheaty goodness, but sometimes I lose.  The same is true in my parenting.  I don't win every battle of setting myself aside for the good of my kids.  Oh, yes, I'll justify my actions with the "me time" conundrum or the "rebellion calls for punishment" verdict.  All the while, my humanity tells me I'm being inconvenienced, so I ignore common sense, ethics, and good morals because it isn't convenient.  I don't always do what's best for me, though, and I think that at least my son, who is able to speak for himself at this stage in his young manhood, would testify to that.  I often witness parents who are obviously inconvenienced, and find myself in their same predicament.  For example, Disneyland is a happy place, right?  Well, if you're able to ignore everyone else's humanity, it is.  Otherwise, you can witness inconvenienced parents and unhappy children by the thousands, join their miserable number, and leave unhappy and very unfulfilled.  Some of my happiest Disneyland moments were when I did what my son wanted to do, often to the detriment of my equilibrium, but they were happy times, resulting in the fondest of memories.  I'm cutting my thought short because I'm getting long-winded in my old age, but to summarize, what can we do today for our kids that may seem inconvenient now, but reap huge rewards later?  (They are forever keeping score, because they're KIDS!)  I've cut out my own work for me.  Have a great day!