An Enjoyable Morning At The Fair
I took my daughter to the fair this morning. We go every year and always enjoy ourselves very much. We walked around and played a few games. We had some lemonade and bought some Tiny Tom’s donuts.
On our way to the exhibition this morning I was thinking about what I was going to write in my blog today. Something always happens to us and I was sure I would end up with some event to write about.
It ended up that nothing really dramatic happened at the fair
and I wasn’t sure what I was going to write.
So this evening I asked my daughter
“What do you think I should write in my blog today?”
The Ability To Appreciate Simplicity
She said dad you should write about how
even though nothing dramatic happened
and even though we didn’t do anything extreme or spectacular
we still had such a good time together.
Because we are friends and because we enjoy each other,
our day was absolutely wonderful.
You can only imagine how this made me feel.
I was bursting with joy.
And she’s right too.
It really is the ability to appreciate simplicity
that can increase our general level of happiness in life.
Clearly this fact has made an impression upon her
for it was what she felt moved to suggest that I write about today.
It seems to her something very valuable,
that she could spend a day with her father walking around,
getting a lemonade and enjoying herself so very much.
The Treasure of a Close Relationship
I have not encountered very many parents of 18 year olds
who have that kind of experience with their kids.
Mostly I hear people shaking their heads
and not understanding their teenagers.
They feel a distance between them.
Their children would much rather spend time
with their friends than with their parents.
This is what stands out the most for me in her suggestion.
It is another example of how close we are.
Cultivate a Deep Relationship
It isn’t an accident that we are this way.
From the earliest days of her time upon this earth
I have focused on our relationship as a primary area of development.
Her manners, her behaviour, her obedience and her grades
have always been less important to me than our relationship.
Being somebody that she could be completely honest with
and share her feelings no matter what they are has always been my goal.
Being somebody she enjoys spending time with has also been a priority for me.
It is not a common parenting strategy to think about
being someone your child enjoy spending time with.
In fact many people might say that putting effort into
being friends first is not effective parenting.
How many times do we hear people say you have to be a parent first?
Being a Friend First Opens Doors and Creates Trust
I have found the opposite to be true.
By focusing on my relationship with my kid over the years
we have become such very close friends.
And this also means she is so much more open to my guidance
than she ever would have been otherwise.
I feel very blessed today for the bond I have with my daughter.
I feel blessed for our ability to enjoy each other’s company
regardless of what we are doing.
Set Conscious and Intelligent Parenting Priorities
When we place our attention on the deep things that really matter
then our decisions, our actions and even our thoughts
change to match up with our priorities.
It is worth the effort to constantly examine and re-examine
what you consider essential in your parenting philosophy.
This is something that has certainly helped me over the years
and I continue to do it to this very day.
