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