sense of value

as parents we have a lot of jobs... we cook, clean, discipline, love, fix, drive, teach, help, hurt, model, influence, nurse, minister....

one of the many jobs that I need to improve on is giving my children a sense of importance

we need to value our children. we need to love them and treasure them in such a way that they feel how important they are. they need to know that they have sincere and deep value.

we should carve out time that is specifically for them... doing what they enjoy with them. this is not watching them play ball or going to their concert... this is sitting together watching a movie, enjoying a meal out on a date, playing ball together... ACTIVELY doing something WITH your child...

i get too busy. i have got to set aside the crap that takes my attention away from my kids. i need to make them more important in my daily life.

last night my daughter got asked out to the movies by an 8th grader... she was thrilled. he wanted to take her out and spend time and money on her... then an hour later, he told her that his ex-girlfriend was jealous and may want to go with them "just as friends"... this made my kid uncomfortable, but she was actually willing to go through with it because she just wanted to be "wanted"...

what the heck? i had failed. she was willing to put up with being treated like second fiddle to a kid who was either passive aggressive and unwilling to take a stand or unwilling to make a choice so he would just take two girls to the movies. i told her to put her phone down, and think about it. give it the night and wait till morning to make a decision...

this morning, she came out of her room and texted him.... (paraphrase) "my mom pointed out to me last night that you asked me to the movies, but also your ex. this is only showing me that either you are not completely interested in me or that you are not able to take a stand when someone is upset. either way, i am not interested in anyone like that. i will not be going to the movies today with you. have fun."

there we go - she has value. we do not lower our standards of what we will accept or how we will be treated just in order to get a date....


let's empower our children that they are worth more than anything... they are worth fighting for and waiting for... so, fight for your kids and give them your time.

if WE do not teach them this... what will they learn by our non-actions?