Here in Kansas, where we live, the leaves are turning beautiful shades and falling off the trees. Just last week, I was babysitting some little boys and we were playing outside. The area around their home was carpeted in leaves--ready for our enjoyment! We raked the leaves into huge piles, jumped in them, buried people underneath them, and threw leaves at each other. We had a blast! There was almost constant giggling, and no one was ready to go in when it was lunch time. (Except for the babysitter who had had enough leaves in her hair for one day!). Though such a simple thing, our time playing in the leaves brought such wholesome enjoyment. It also served to remind me of days gone by when I was a little girl. Every fall, my parents took us outside and played in the leaves with us. What happy memories!
While being chased by little boys with handfuls of leaves, I couldn't help but wonder how many other children were missing out on such pleasure. In this post-modern age of video games, daycare, fast food, TV dinners, and entertainment overload, have our children been deprived of some of those marvelous "old-fashioned" joys of life?
Almost a year ago, I donned a white dress and walked down a church aisle to pledge my love to the man of my dreams. In doing so, I exchanged one life for another. I am still my parents' daughter, but now I am also Jesse's wife. My childhood is over. I cannot relive those days, nor can my parents. There are no more bike rides to the ice cream store, no more wrestling matches with dad (okay, we only did that when we were little. When we got older, Dad started getting hurt, so the wrestling had to stop!), no more playing in the leaves, no more building snowmen or snow forts, no more piggyback rides, no more walks to the park.
Yes, my childhood is over, but I am so thankful I can look back on it with such happy memories. My parents took so much time for me and spent so much time with me. Instead of sitting me in front of the TV, we made forts in the basement or played with finger paint. Instead of sending me off to daycare, Mom read to us, sang with us, taught us finger plays, and took us to museums. Instead of fast food for dinner, we had home-cooked meals with homemade bread we'd helped knead or green beans we had picked from our garden. Looking back over my childhood, I won't tell you my parents were perfect, but I do know they always had time for us. They realized that more important than our involvement in sports, or their volunteering in the community, was that they took the time to teach, train, and enjoy their children.
Last week, a 19-year-old friend of mine died suddenly in a tragic car accident. Neither she nor her parents knew that Wednesday was her last day on this earth. Although we are grateful Rebekah is now in the presence of the Lord, we grieve that we no longer have an opportunity to spend time with her on this earth, and we are all reminded that our life is just a "vapor." While you still have it, take the time to invest in the lives of your children and those around you. Cherish each moment. You may not have many left.
You may be thinking, "But I just don't have the time." Make the time. Evaluate your life: What activities are you currently involved in that are not going to matter ten years from now? How about 100 years? Simplify your life. Get rid of clutter and make room for joy. Someday when your children are grown and gone, they are probably not really going to remember the presents you bought for them or the opportunities you allowed them, but they will remember the time you spent with them.
There are a lot of good things in life for one to devote time to--but only a few of those things are the best things. My parents chose the best, and I will always be indebted to them.
Don't let another priceless moment slip through your hands because you are "too busy." While you have the time, take the time.
Crystal Paine is a 23-year-old homeschool graduate and the owner of Covenant Wedding Source, LLC (an online retail bridal business). She writes articles on a variety of topics and recently authored her first booklet, The Merchant Maiden: Earning an Income Without Compromising Convictions. She lives with her husband in Topeka, KS. For more information on her business and booklet, visit her website:http://www.covenantweddingsource.com.
We were sitting in the family room. My kids had... Read More
Winnie the Pooh is the classic picture of Inattentive ADHD.... Read More
When a child is born, a new number is added... Read More
The children of Baby Boomers, the Echo Generation, are entering... Read More
Raising a pre-teen or teenage daughter (or son) is not... Read More
So you have just returned home from your third meeting... Read More
As a parent you will be asked to assist with... Read More
It can be difficult on all family members to have... Read More
If your child or teen has been diagnosed with Attention... Read More
A learning disability is defined as a permanent problem that... Read More
If You're Having Twins..is it double the headache, or double... Read More
Graphology for Child development.:- Graphology is the science of understanding... Read More
Valentine day has always been a special day in my... Read More
Ok. So you're a dad to be. If you're like... Read More
How in the world do you get your child to... Read More
Not many things are more upsetting than discovering that your... Read More
School authorities continually claim that they want more parent cooperation... Read More
Home-schooling provides children with a superior education. Parents can quickly... Read More
No matter how old your children are, you have an... Read More
Adderall is a stimulant medication used in the treatment of... Read More
1. Boundaries are necessary for control and safety.All children need... Read More
'And all because of a damned cat! It's only a... Read More
Peaceful Parenting® ideas are very different from other kinds of... Read More
There is a new stage of development for parents to... Read More
As a parent your biggest responsibility is to prepare your... Read More
4 traps to avoidTrap 1 - Parents need to realize... Read More
(Isaiah 11:6 KJV) The wolf also shall dwell with the... Read More
When you talk about multiply your child's intelligence, you can't... Read More
Moving house can be an emotional experience for adults, so... Read More
Our children are growing up bilingual in the French part... Read More
Being in a competitive world, the lowest qualification to secure... Read More
When it comes to the treatment of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity... Read More
From the book Spider's Night on the BoomI've only begun... Read More
When we talk about attention, we are talking about two... Read More
One reason public schools get away with educational failure, year... Read More
The Internet is one of the greatest inventions of all... Read More
I had my first two children on either side of... Read More
On a recent Saturday evening, I noticed a young teen-age... Read More
Public education in the United States has never been equal... Read More
One of the biggest milestones in our children's education is... Read More
Researching career education uncovered the following shocking statistic: The average... Read More
Though you can cover even very long distances by car... Read More
This time, I would like to talk about a subject... Read More
While most fathers aspire to become the best Dads they... Read More
Many reasons will cause some people to feel the need... Read More
Do you think you really know your child? I don't... Read More
School authorities continually claim that they want more parent cooperation... Read More
Search for Assurance: The Power of BelongingThe job hunt is... Read More
I have a bit of a different response than most... Read More
Do you live with an ADD / ADHD child? If... Read More
A learning disability is defined as a permanent problem that... Read More
"He is happiest, be he king or peasant, who finds... Read More
Everyone needs friends, and, as parents, you and I both... Read More
Parental Alienation Syndrome was probably first identified and codified by... Read More
When a couple steps forth with a baby in tow... Read More
Did you know that many people retire broke?It's true. After... Read More
As mothers, we play so many different roles and most... Read More
The formula is pretty straightforward: energy in/energy out. This is... Read More
We all know that using cloth nappies is best for... Read More
Loving your step-child can be both simple and hard. It... Read More
A parent writes in, ``We are having a hard time... Read More
The older my daughter gets the more it's sinking in... Read More
Moms and dads, are there times you think that parenting... Read More
To have reasonable expectations of our children is an important... Read More
If you're looking for toys that are both fun to... Read More
As the kids go back to school, you can go... Read More
Parenting |