Conversations

It's been interesting finding our way back into a schedule.  Along with that comes the need to find time for conversations.  For instance, last year when Graham got home, he would come in and get a small snack and drink, then we would head up to the elementary school to get in car line.  We had a good, uninterrupted 25 minutes every single day.  Unless he wanted to stay home, which only rarely happened.

This year, neither Graham nor Drew has wanted to come with me yet. 

So we're finding time to talk at random times...like in the mornings.  This morning we just sat and talked while they waited to go to the bus stop.  I've also been hanging out in their rooms at night, reading stories, praying and talking to them. 

It's important that we take the time and have these conversations with our kids.  Not just talking AT them, but talking WITH them. 

There's a huge difference in those two words.  Don't get me wrong...sometimes as parents, we have to talk "at" them.  But the times when we don't have to do that...and we have the opportunity for a good conversation, we need to jump all over it.  I know the older they get the less this might happen, but if we form good habits early enough, they're more likely to continue them as the teen years approach. 

Our time with them goes all too quickly.  I personally think my kids are pretty cool little guys.  I love getting to know more about what they do and what they love at school.  It's a neat opportunity to see them from a different angle.  My friend made a great point at camp...she said that if parents could only see their kids away at camp, they might be shocked.  I don't know if she meant "shocked" in a good way or a bad way, but she was right.

It's our job to help mold them into people.  I don't want to take a single moment for granted. 

Love to all.