Parenting — The Good Times Are NOW

Most parents wish they had more time — and energy — to tackle the many household jobs that never seem to get done. Think about the dust that must be under every bed in your house, the jumble of clothes, shoes and boots in the hall closet, the infamous "junk" drawer in every kitchen in America.

Now think about the best things you remember from your childhood, the people, places, and events that are very dear to you. Twenty years from now, what do you want your children to remember from their growing up years? Look at this list: Which items do you think kids will remember? 

• The winter afternoons when the dinner dishes were left on the table while the whole family went sledding in the new snow.
• The arrival of Judy, the wild and crazy Irish setter who required lots of care, attention and feeding, but who loved everyone on sight and became a beloved family pet. 
• The occasional summer night when all the neighborhood kids were allowed to stay up late while their parents played Monopoly. 
• The spotless kitchen floor. 
• Slacks with pressed-in creases.
• All of the family's clothes, washed, ironed, and put away at the same time. 

The point is while we'd all like to have pressed-in creases in our slacks, absolute order in drawers and a spotless kitchen floor, sometimes these things have to give way to a more urgent need: time to spend with our children. 

Today parents are bombarded with all kinds of information telling them how to be better parents, how to find quality time, how to have it all now to ensure that children grow up to be geniuses. 

If you ask the kids, they'd just like to have parents to themselves for a bit to play, talk, be silly, and have fun. It's something to make time for — right now. Twenty years from now those will  be the good times they'll remember. 

Article courtesy of Growing Child.