Quality Time?
There's a phrase that's become popular over the past few years that fills me with wonder. That phrase is "quality time." We've all heard it, and we all seem to accept it as a real concept. But to the average country person, that phrase is difficult to comprehend.
Here's what I mean. Last summer, my 10-year-old son Cody and I spent an entire day walking the fields, checking fences. When we saw a post that needed straightening or a strand of wire that needed to be tightened, we set right to work. Sweat poured across our faces, our shirts grew soaked from the hard work we were engaged in. But as we strained against the task at hand, we talked about his little league baseball team and how he could improve his hitting to the opposite field.
Then, as we walked a little farther down the fence line, we laughed till we cried when a covey of quail nearly gave us a heart attack as they exploded out of the grass in front of us. We heard the amazingly varied call of a cardinal in the woods off to our right. We saw two red-tailed hawks circling lazily over our heads, and marveled at how they could see field mice at such a height.
It was a typical day for us, father and son. We weren't doing anything "special." We were working. And yet, I know from similar experiences with my own dad when I was Cody's age that days like these would be the ones that came to mind once he'd grown up and had children of his own.
So I ask again: was that "quality time?"
Think back to your own childhood. What things do you remember most about your parents? Was it the fact that your dad worked 16 hours a day at the office, and fell asleep on the couch on the weekends because he was too exhausted to move? No, I'm willing to wager that's not what you remember. More likely, you remember the time you went for a long walk along the country road in the rain and came home looking like not only something the cat had dragged in, but something he'd dragged in and forgotten under the refrigerator for a month.
It's been said that kids spell "love" ... t-i-m-e, and I couldn't agree more.
So the next time you hear yourself thinking that you'll make it up to your daughter when she asks you to play "Chutes and Ladders" for the seven millionth time, remember: your kids are watching you, and it doesn't matter how young they are; they know how to spell the word "quality," too.
Strangely enough, to our kids, the word "quality" is spelled exactly the same as the word "love."
They're both spelled T-I-M-E.
From the book Spider's Big Catch
Gary Anderson
© 2004. Gary E. Anderson. All rights reserved.
About The Author
Gary Anderson is a freelance writer, editor, ghostwriter, and manuscript analyst, living on a small Iowa farm. He's published more than 500 articles and four books. He's also ghosted a dozen books, edited more than 30 full-length manuscripts, produced seven newsletters, and has done more than 800 manuscript reviews for various publishers around the nation. If you need writing or editing help, visit Gary's website at www.abciowa.com.
 Google News Updated : Fri, 05 Sep 2008 02:05:17 GMT Boeing workers frustrated, angry at strike delay - Reuters
Reuters - By Laura Myers EVERETT, Washington (Reuters) - Less than a day after voting to strike, Boeing workers expressed frustration and anger on Thursday at the decision by union leaders to postpone a walkout and negotiate further with the company. Boeing, Machinists Return to Talks to Avert Strike (Update1) SPEEA Supports IAM 751 Efforts to Secure a New Contract from Boeing Publ.Date : Fri, 05 Sep 2008 00:30:58 GMT Autism and measles vaccine: no link found -- again - Los Angeles Times Los Angeles Times - Suspicion that autism is triggered by childhood vaccinations -- notably the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine -- lingers on, even though studies repeatedly fail to find such a link. Study Finds No Autism Link in Vaccine Health Buzz: MMR Vaccine and Autism, and Other Health News Publ.Date : Thu, 04 Sep 2008 19:25:11 GMT Syria details its stance on peace talks - Ha'aretz
Ha'aretz - By Yoav Stern and Barak Ravid Syrian President Bashar Assad revealed details on the peace process with Israel yesterday, presenting Turkey with a document of principles, one of whose points discusses the desired extent of the withdrawal from the Golan ... Video: Sarkozy in Syria : the press is divided Syria: Israeli Peace Talks Postponed Publ.Date : Thu, 04 Sep 2008 23:53:30 GMT Evacuations Are Advised as Storm Nears the Southeast - New York Times
New York Times - By ROBBIE BROWN ATLANTA - As Tropical Storm Hanna surged toward the Atlantic Coast on Thursday, the authorities declared states of emergency in Virginia and North Carolina and recommended evacuation from some coastal regions of South Carolina. Hanna May Reach Hurricane Force; Ike Looms Out at Sea (Update4) Southeast braces for Hanna as Ike strengthens Publ.Date : Fri, 05 Sep 2008 01:19:19 GMT McCain Will Vow an End to Partisanship in Convention Speech - Washington Post
Washington Post - By Chris Cillizza ST. PAUL, MINN. - Sen. John McCain will take the stage at the Xcel Center here in less than three hours to formally accept his party's presidential nomination and deliver an address that will kick-start a frenetic two-month general ... McCain will take GOP to task for losing its way McCain to Declare ‘Change Is Coming’ in Acceptance Speech Publ.Date : Fri, 05 Sep 2008 00:06:30 GMT Deaths Heighten Arthritis Drugs Warning - WebMD
WebMD - By Miranda Hitti Sept. 4, 2008 -- The FDA today ordered stronger warnings about the risk of potentially deadly fungal infections, especially one called histoplasmosis, in people taking the drugs Cimzia, Enbrel, Humira, and Remicade, which are called ... FDA Demands Tougher Warnings on Immunosuppressive Drugs FDA orders stronger warnings for 4 arthritis drugs Publ.Date : Thu, 04 Sep 2008 23:30:49 GMT Abramoff Sentenced to 4 Years in Prison for Corruption - Washington Post
Washington Post - By Del Quentin Wilber and Carrie Johnson Jack Abramoff, the onetime powerhouse Republican lobbyist whose influence peddling led to one of the biggest public corruption investigations in recent history, was sentenced by a federal judge today to four ... US lobbyist is sentenced to 4 years in prison Abramoff sentenced to 4 years in prison Publ.Date : Thu, 04 Sep 2008 23:47:01 GMT Amazon Content |
PARLOT::Ebooks, Scripts,
Websites, and more... Why Me?"We should certainly count our blessings, but we should... Read More Teenagers are a work-in-progress, and parenting teenagers can be tricky... Read More Winnie the Pooh is the classic picture of Inattentive ADHD.... Read More Researchers have estimated that 25-35% of children in the United... Read More Are you considering a car wash fundraiser for your group?... Read More She slipped her small, soft eight-year-old hand into mine. Her... Read More What Children Look for in a Friend?Is this child fun... Read More What are we teaching our children about money? Hopefully something!I... Read More Like anything else in life, there's a method to the... Read More Think back to your own childhood. Chances are, some of... Read More School authorities continually claim that they want more parent cooperation... Read More I still remember the scene vividly. I was getting out... Read More The back-to-school shopping is done. Brand new pencils, colored markers,... Read More Ever feel like you're out of the loop when it... Read More Studies have shown that:1 out of 4 children were sent... Read More Nothing touches the heartstrings of a parent or teacher more... Read More The successful preschool idea behind many successful preschool learning centers... Read More From the time the Mayflower landed at Plymouth Rock in... Read More Working with adults (as well as children and teens) for... Read More My son recently had his third birthday party and it... Read More Sometime the most effective training tool in rapidly accelerating the... Read More Who Can Register A Birth? The child's mother... Read More Keith is now in the fourth grade and he dislikes... Read More We take it for granted that children know how money... Read More I have always been aware of my number one weakness:... Read More
Adsense
websites
Why Me?
Teenagers and Trouble - How Parents Can Keep their Teens Out of Trouble
Inattentive ADHD: Just Like Winnie the Pooh
Challenges for Our Children
Car Wash Fundraiser Preparation
Dad, Go Ahead and Cry
Helping Your Child Make and Keep Friends
Teach Your Child About Money
Beginning the Special Education Process
Send the Kids Outside!
Parents Complaints --- Arrogant Public Schools Turn a Deaf Ear
Renee?s Mommy is Here
Back to School; Time to Recharge
Kids Party Etiquette for Parents
Who Are Your Kids Talking To Online?
Ten Ways to Help Your Child Make Friends
A Good Preschool Idea
Public Schools --- Why On Earth Do We Need Them?
How to Put Your Kids (Or Grandkids) On the Fast Track to Success
Creating Great Birthday Party Videos
Potty Dolls to Accelerate Potty Training Success
Registering a Birth in Scotland
If your child is being bullied - 20 top tips for parents
Teaching Your Children About the Value of Money
Assertiveness: Key to Better Parenting
Affordable and Reliable Web Hosting Starting at $4.49/Month
If at First They Dont Succeed - What a Great Opportunity!
When kids try new things, sometimes it's a 'fit' and... Read More
Develop Your Childs Genius: One Step Farther
When is a person brilliant? When does a person show... Read More
Teaching Children Good Manners
Last week in my newsletter, I mentioned that... Read More
Teacher Tips: Your Room Set-Up and ADHD Students
Thank you to all of our professional educators who dedicate... Read More
Play the Ball, Not the Man!
As parents and teachers, sometimes we want to praise, at... Read More
Grandparents --- Homeschool Your Grandchildren and Feel Younger
Grandparents, what better way to stay close to your grown... Read More
Tackle, Tackle
I don't know how people raise daughters because I have... Read More
Parents, Teach Thought-Stopping! Fix Crooked Thinking Caps
Does your child pout, blame and brood? Does he gripe,... Read More
Awesome Dads Top Ten Ways To Be The Foundation of Your Family
Part of the responsibility of being a father is to... Read More
How To Use Positive Child Discipline
I am a single mother of a 17 year old... Read More
Think Like Your Kids - And Understand Them More!
Seven-year old Michael was on a school trip to a... Read More
Keep the Little Ones Safe, Follow Pool Safety Guidelines
Pool safety should be on the minds of every parent... Read More
Beyond the Words, a Childs Voice
Voices have a way of falling into a pattern, not... Read More
Top Ten Ways to Teach Values to Your Kids
In a consumer-driven society that broadcasts values you don't approve... Read More
Book Review: The Ring Bear Depicts Turmoil of Becoming A Stepchild
In "The Ring Bear," a picture book by Tigard resident... Read More
Five Ways To Build Super-Strong Relationships With Your Children
One of the questions I ask in parenting presentations is... Read More
God Dont Like Rich People
I will never forget the day that my daughter's sixth... Read More
Ritalin (Methylphenidate) in the Treatment of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
Ritalin is a good medication with a bad reputation. Its... Read More
How to Prepare for Labor
Although nothing anybody says can ever completely prepare a woman... Read More
Give Your Child Life Skills for a Lifetime
Many parents struggle with solutions to put their child on... Read More
Cyber Parenting 101
Many parental units are not "techies" and openly admit they... Read More
The Mystery of Picky Eaters
If you were to ask 100 parents why they think... Read More
Develop Your Childs Genius - Right Brain/Left Brain Coordination
No matter how old your children are, you have an... Read More
Do You Have the Loving Relationship With Your Children That You Desire?
Most people with children want to be good parents. The... Read More
Develop Your Childs Genius - Developing Leadership Qualities
Often I have heard that leaders are born, not made.... Read More
Parenting |