Dads, let's talk. I think if we were to sit down face-to-face over a cup of coffee (or a large Diet Coke for me), we'd agree that one of the most important things we'll do in this life is raise great kids. Can we just agree on that now? Good.
So, why don't we always act like it's a priority? If we're to be honest with one another, I'd bet we both spend a lot more time thinking about our career development, financial future, or even our vacations than we do about how to build into our children. Look at it this way: we driven, ambitious career types are always looking for a way to add more value at work, right? We wouldn't think of just occupying a seat and getting by with the minimum required to get the job done. We strive to get better, we invest in our skills and knowledge, we bring ideas to people. We aren't static, we are in motion in our careers.
Why, then, when it's our turn to watch the kids, do we look for the easy way out? Why do we wonder which DVD we should put in to occupy the time while we rest or read or do what we need to do? Why don't we invest in our parenting skills, spend quality time playing with our kids, reading to them, coloring with them, doing things that build them up?
In his book Outliers, Malcom Gladwell suggests that great performers are made largely by great opportunities. In other words, if you want to be a great piano player, you need lots and lots of hours at the piano. If you want to be a great runner, you need a chance to put in miles and miles. Likewise, if you want to raise great kids (thereby making them into great people), you need to invest the time in them, not just spend time with them, but really spend time building them.
Proverbs 22:6 says, "Train a child in the way he should go and he will not stray from it." That's what most of us want as parents, right? A child who is raised right and turns into a great person - one who doesn't stray. So, let's take every opportunity God has given us to invest a part of ourselves in our kids. We don't have very much time- our opportunity is limited.
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1 comment:
You are so right! Esp. from a child development perspective (I won't go off on a tangent..)- the early years are the most important. Which is why it is so confusing to me that people still tend to look down on moms (or dads) who choose to stay home.
Instead of making our children an accessory, we should make them a priority!
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