| Today we are faced with many problems that are | | | | He said to take 5 minutes a day and talk to your kids, |
| destroying family units everywhere. In a fast paced | | | | and not as a group. Individually spend five minutes with |
| world we are always in a hurry to get to work to get | | | | each of them and talk to them about their interest not |
| to the beach, or to get home before the kids go to | | | | yours. You may find that they are far more important |
| sleep. We never seem to have enough time in one | | | | then the Super Bowl, or a day on the golf course. You |
| day to do all that needs to be done.There was a song | | | | may even earn their trust and loyalty. My oldest |
| written in the 70's called "The Cats and The Cradle," | | | | daughter told a friend on the phone once that it would |
| and in this song the lyrics talk about a man that was | | | | hurt her parents too much to have sex before she |
| so involved outside the home that his own son never | | | | was married and for that reason she has decided to |
| really spent quality time with him. The song goes on to | | | | wait. She has redirected her thinking only because she |
| say that the son looked up to his dad and he was | | | | is receiving the companionship she needs at home. |
| going to be just like him. As the son grew up and went | | | | Teenagers that are sexually active in many cases are |
| to college the father wanted to spend sometime with | | | | that way because they are substituting parental |
| him when he got home, but his son was to busy. As | | | | attention for sexual attention. If my folks won't pay |
| the song goes on and his boy moved away he | | | | attention to me the boy down the road will.This is just |
| realized in the end that his boy turned out to be just | | | | one of the dangers of not spending more time with |
| like him (never having time to spend with his family). | | | | your family. How does it affect your spouse? Is he or |
| The moral to this story is that we may need to | | | | she content with the time you have? If not, do you |
| reprioritize our lives to put our families first.You may | | | | want them to look elsewhere? Of course not, but it |
| ask, "Where do I start?" One thing that seems to | | | | can happen. Many marriages end in divorce, because |
| separate the family is television. In this country we | | | | the couples grow apart. They form their own lives |
| spend more time watching others live their lives and | | | | without including the other. It is imperative that we take |
| less time living our own. Why not turn the TV off and | | | | the time that we have today and spend it with your |
| play monopoly, yahtzee, or cards. I know these are not | | | | family, and make time tomorrow. If we do we will |
| the greatest suggestions, but the key is to make the | | | | begin to repair any damage that is already done, and |
| family stronger. If you all have a common interest then | | | | grow closer to our families in the future.You may ask, |
| do that. I have 2 teenage girls and a 4-year-old son. | | | | "How do we separate work from home?" When you |
| My oldest daughter loves horses and she enjoys riding | | | | are at work and you know that you are not going to |
| and competing. My youngest daughter likes to write | | | | finish before you leave. Plan to just leave it there. It will |
| songs, and sing. She may not be the greatest singer in | | | | be there tomorrow and so will the rest of it. Many |
| the world, but she enjoys it. My son is into DVD's and | | | | employers don't staff their businesses correctly, |
| video games. All of them like to spend time with their | | | | because of those people who take their work home. If |
| parents. Up to a few years ago I did not even know | | | | your load is too much tell your boss you need help. If |
| them like I thought I did. In fact, I think it is safe to say | | | | your job is worth keeping your boss will understand |
| that I knew very little at all. I was always consumed in | | | | that family comes first. Never let anything break up |
| my work to the point that I brought it home.The thing | | | | your home. Families united are stronger then divided. |
| that hurt me the most was when our family Doctor | | | | There is no mountain to high or river to wide for a |
| asked me if my son had all of his shots. I answered, "I | | | | strong family to tackle. Do what ever you have to do |
| don't know ask my wife." The look the Doctor gave | | | | to keep your family together, and never regret the |
| me was one of disappointment. She told me that that | | | | decisions you make to strengthen your family. It all |
| was a common answer for a father to give. Why? I | | | | pays off in the end.Don McKay is the owner of |
| should know the answer to such a question, because I | | | | several free information websites and the sole |
| am his father. The answer to that is I am not | | | | proprietor of Java Jakes Gourmet Coffee Co. |
| interested in that, so it is not important. This selfish | | | | |
| attitude had to change if I was going to have a | | | | |
| relationship with anyone in my house.The advice a | | | | |
| friend gave me has helped me to grow with my family. | | | | Visit these sites today and become informed. |