The Cat's in the Cradle!

And the cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon
Little boy blue and the man on the moon
When you comin' home son?
I don't know when, but we'll get together then son
You know we'll have a good time then. -- Harry Chapin

Such a powerful message! Many times, during parent - teacher conferences, parents ask me how they can have a positive influence in their child's life. My answer is pretty much the same each time... Its all about giving. I don't mean giving them gifts, or spending exhorbitant amounts of money purchasing them the latest, greatest __________ (you fill in the blank).  It's about giving them your time. Spending time with your child, doing something that both of you can enjoy together, will create a trusting relationship that will encourage your child to come to you for guidance when it matters most.

When my girls were little my husband and I didn't have a lot of money to spend buying them expensive toys or gifts. Family vactions were often on a budget, and going out to dinner in a restaurant was a rare treat. But, we did spend valuable time with them each day. One of the fondest memories that I have from my girls' childhood days was how we often sat together and read a book. Black Beauty came alive as we took turns reading and discussing the story together. In addition to reading together, we took long walks, and as they grew older, the walks turned into bike rides. We spent time painting, drawing, sewing, cooking, baking, and doing many very inexpensive activities together. While we were participating in these activities, we had the chance to share stories, discuss options regarding choices they had to make, or in some cases, how they may have made better choices. The times we spent together built a firm foundation of trust between us, and it didn't really cost me anything. I hate to think of the price I would have had to pay had I not invested my time and energy by involving myself in their daily lives. I hope that this gives you some good ideas on how to carve out some very valuable time to spend with your children each day.

Happy Parenting!!!