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I got married when I was 37 years old. I had my first child when I was 38 ( second @ 39 and third @ 42). By societies standards, my husband and I are very late to the game. But, I have come to realize that this was the best time in my life for me to be a mother. I am obviously older, a tad bit wiser (not quite on the wise old sage level), and most importantly not as self-centered as I was in my youth. Thankfully, Craig and I have already established careers (certainly not referring to my newbieness to blogging), traveled the world (missing South Africa as we speak) and are more focused on what we can do for others rather than chasing after fleeting “stuff”.

So I said all of this to say that – It is time to invest in our children, birthed and borrowed. Collectively, we have a host of nieces, nephews and kids of friends that we have considered our own. Somewhere our kids are getting caught up in the spirit of the world we live in today and I believe it’s time for us to grab, love and guide them before we lose them to God knows what!

What the heck does that all mean ( yup, here comes one of my list):

1. Eat meals together – at a TABLE WITHOUT THE TELEVISION! This is what they used to do “back in the day” and they didn’t have nearly as many problems as we do today. Even if you are a single parent with one child, get to a table and enjoy quality time together with your child. This is a prime opportunity to engage, connect and most of all focus on each other. There is a study somewhere out there in Googleland that says social issues and eating disorders decrease in homes where families eat together. And no, you don’t need fine china and a gourmet feast. A cheap pot of spaghetti and dollar store plates will be perfect!
2. Play together! – Would you believe some kids don’t even know what Monopoly is? I mean seriously! Games like Uno, Connect Four, Operation, Life, Trouble ( I can go on and on), first of all didn’t cost an arm and a leg and those games brought families together. Again, this will work for a family of 2 as well!
3. Give more love (not gifts)- I’ve noticed that we will buy our kids the new iphone quicker than saying “I Love You”. Now, I am a firm believer in Love Languages but we need to get better about expressing our love for our children (and each other for that matter). Do you find yourself critiquing or chastising your kiddos more than you affirm them. Let’s do a little evaluation here and find ways to let them know we love them.
4. Talk! – If you are like me, you are exhausted when you get home from work. There are times when I want to sit down and unwind. Then these little people, who are on their fourth wind, want to talk and talk and talk and ask questions and talk some more. Well, I believe that lays a foundation for the way they will relate to you when they get older, and don’t feel like talking to people that aren’t their age ( oh the teen years…) . Take the time to engage these little minds and form a lasting relationship now (while it’s easier).
5. Remember, you were a kid once too! – Did you want to play ball with your dad, wear your mom’s shoes and put on her make-up? Well, your kids are little versions of you. So, do a silly dance, sit for a tea party or let them help you make a batch of pancakes. It all counts.

I guess my point here is, let’s stop letting social media influence the way our girls measure beauty, their peers decide if they are cool, and for goodness sake, let’s not give our kids a reason to look for love, comfort and value in all of the wrong places. I’m just sayin’….

Ok, let loose down here. I know you have something to say!