| | | | Giving Urgency the Pink Slip |
By Glenn A. Hascall
One of the most difficult things to do in the 21st century is find time to spend with your family in a location other than the home, dance recital, sporting events or a concert.
It seems we are constantly on the go. Our minivans log thousands of miles as we race from here to there and wish Ronald a good day as we accept his bags of food.
Certainly sports teach character while the arts stimulate creativity and beauty - we should expose our children to both. If interest in those events is strong they should be allowed to participate - in moderation. My suggestion may sound strange in a world that is used to being able to place more demands on us than previous generations - let a few things go.
Your child won't wilt and fade if she is not a part of a tumbling program and dance - your son won't automatically become a criminal if he doesn't participate in both football and soccer. You might even find a few things you could remove yourself from.
Then after all that life subtraction, add some meaningful time together doing something the entire family can enjoy. Do you know what your entire family likes to do together? When was the last time you did those things?
For my family it's taking our cameras and heading out to the wilderness to capture some of nature's beauty. This has been a personal hobby for me since high school and I routinely sell my photos for online stock, however, for my children it may result in a crooked picture of a Yucca plant or a picture of an eagle that looks like a speck of dust on the photo. My job is to help them learn to take better pictures without spoiling the fun of personal discovery. The most remembered part of our excursions is that we are together with little sense of urgency.
In the end, my children get to spent quality and quantity time with their daddy while doing something the entire family enjoys.
Understandably not everyone has a passion for photography and not everyone likes to brave little used trails in wilderness areas, but my point is to find a mutually enjoyable adventure for the entire family. Long term memories are better tied to these seemingly insignificant family outings than all the sports and arts events your child will ever participate in. After all, you should be remembered for more than being a chauffer.
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