Is family your number one priority? Here are some suggestions to help make family your number one priority.
In today's society there are so many children being raised by everyone other than their parents. It's really sad to know that most parents don't ever really even bond with their children. For instance did you know that the average child in todays society watches 15 hours of television a week and only spends about 35 minutes a week with their dad and 140 minutes with their mom, and half that time is spent watching TV!
There are more families ending in divorce than ever before. In 1940 marriage was considered the very foundation on which society was made and without it there would be no civilization, however today the opposite is true. Everywhere you look marriage is made a mockery. Divorce is now the solution to every problem. Our world is absolutely going down the drain, and life as we know it is almost at it's end. We are destroying ourselves!
If you said that family is your number one priority I would like to ask you a few questions. Please answer these honestly to yourself, because lying to yourself only creates bigger issues! If it turns out that family is really your number one priority I would like to give you a big thumbs up right now!
Here are some things to ponder when thinking about your priorities:
Who is the main caretaker of your children? Is it you, daycare, or public/private school teachers?
Do you sit down and eat dinner together at least 3 nights a week, not including weekends?
Do you talk? Is there any real discussion in your home?
Do you and your husband/significant other have your own personal time to spend together?
Do you go on vacation as a family and really take the time to enjoy it with no work involved?
Are all of your days filled with activities and you have no spare time due to work, sports, or TV?
Those are just a few questions to think about. In 1940 66.9% of the families had one parent who stayed home with the children, that number has decreased to 16.7%.
I am going to give you a few ideas on how to make it work, or become closer as a family and push family to the top of your list.
Have a date night with your husband/significant other! Even if you only do this once a month, it gives you a chance to actually talk about life, and keep the passion alive!
Spend individual time with each person in your family. You could spend as little as 30 minutes a week with each individual in your family and make a huge difference! If you say you are too busy, think about how much time you spend watching TV, or doing other meaningless things. If your child asked you today why you never spend time with them would you have to say that TV or any other meaningless form of wasting your time is more important than spending time with them?
If you can, organize your financial situations to where one parent can stay home and take care of the children. This makes a huge difference in the way your children behave and will behave as a teenager. I know that there are single parents who aren't able to do this, and that is completely understandable, however if you are a single parent I urge you to make sure that the person/people you choose to watch your children are completely competent and able! There are too many daycare facilities out there that don't even meet minimum standards. Some let your children do absolutely everything they want to, they pay no attention to your child/children and your children recieve barely any educational stimulation. Choose your child's caretaker with more caution than you would use buying a home or a new car! Make sure you know that your child IS going to be well taken care of! The other option of being a single parent is to work from a home office, but again I know that that is not always possible.
Be responsible for your decisions. If you are having to choose between spending time with your family or working overtime/late choose your family! On your deathbed which do you think you would regret more-not working enough or not spending enough time with your family?
Remember that possessions are finite. Money is not everything! It is your job to raise your children, that is why you were blessed with children. They were given to you and entrusted into your care, don't they deserve the best that life has to offer!
Remember that your children are not wanting more things, or more money, or a nicer house/car/possession, all they really want is genuine love from you. They just want to know that you actually care! Even that rebellious teenager is desperately reaching out and silently screaming "care about me, love me, help me!" (I know I was a rebellious teenager) You may be met with resistance at first but don't give up because that is truly what they want! They want love, security, and stability!
I realize that this article is a little harsh and may put some of you on the defensive side. If you are on your defense look into your heart and ask yourself why you are so offended. Could it be that family is not truly your highest priority?
