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