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| k7 making art |
I have been a parent for a LONG time and have seen parenting theories come and go. "How to Raise a Happy and Well-adjusted Child"...how many times have we seen that header! Well...one thing all the advise seems to have in common is T I M E, TIME, time. We have so many distractions, mostly electronic. We fill our kids lives with activities, especially after school. Our time together is rushed and short. It can be DIFFICULT to slow down and be present to one another....it can be almost painful! The October surprise snowstorm here in NJ with all of its interruptions of routine has been a blessing. We were forced to be present to one another...no school, no power, no playdates...lots of time. I was reminded as I sat empty-handed on the couch how important doing nothing was for my kids. My little guy has grown so much and has a lot going on in his life. I found this out listening to him play with his toys and using me as a mountain. My teenage sons talked about girls, friends, and FOOD. I watched K6 draw pictures of beautiful young girls...just a bit older than herself...trying to work out her future "look".
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| k6 drawing |
So...back to the million dollar question...how to raise happy and well-adjusted children...well...certainly one way is to let your children know they are worth your time, worth your attention, that they are enJOYable, that they are lovable. I remembering hearing
once that as parents we need to pray for "eyes that see, ears that hear, and a mouth that listens"...ouch!
This is such a great lesson, one that I admit to learning the hard way. And I am still learning it, almost everyday. I know the benefits of filling my son's life with cultural things that aimed at enriching, but all he really wants is time with me. Hard to swallow at times, especially when life gets hectic, but it's so true.
ReplyDeleteBTW... K6 is an amazing artist!