With a family comes great responsibility and it is hard work, but it doesn’t have to be a chore, it can be fun. And the more fun that you bring into any relationship, the longer it tends to last.
Family Outing on the East Coast of Taiwan
It is my personal belief that having children can be the most rewarding experience one could ever have. I can’t imagine having gone through my married life without kids, for one, they complete your relationship and two, they give you the opportunity to make a real difference in another human being more so than in any other way.
The most important thing that you can give your kids, is not the latest gizmo, the coolest video game or toy, the very most important thing you can give them is your time! There are so many distractions in the world that keep us from doing that which is our most important task, and that is to spend time with those we care about.
As a family we had what we called “Family Day”, on family day it was time to spend time doing something together. Naturally having such a large family it becomes ever so tricky as to what to do with all your kids. Eventually we had to dedicate special time, perhaps towards the evening to cater to the needs of each child. On family day we would ask the kids what they wanted to do that day, if it were to go on an excursion, stay at home,. play some games or sports, watch a movie together, whatever it was, it was their day and they chose. Although we live in a digital world, and we now can be reached with our cell phones at any time of the day or night or day of the week, the one feature that I find most valuable with the cell phone is…it has an “off” button. This time is sacred, and should not be interfered with by anything unless of course there were to be a genuine emergency.
While growing up there was a special something that up to today I have never forgotten about my dad, it was that on Saturday morning he would always prepare pancakes! So it became a tradition in my family whilst my gang was growing up. And they like myself, still talk about this today. Having traveled and lived in many countries of the world we changed houses and even countries pretty regularly. Some Psychologist today warn that too many changes in a child’s geographical location may cause psychological problems. Believe me, geography plays little if any role at all, it is the security that you provide or fail to provide that makes the difference.
Eldest Sonia with youngest Alisa
Of course, when a child arrives at puberty and adolescence, they have a God-given desire for independence and they tend to drift away from mom and dad. This is a very natural phase, yet as a parent it can be tough as your “little darling” who at one time never wanted to be too far from you, all of a sudden seems to not be able to stand being around you, what can I say, it ain’t easy! But just be ready and hold on for this bumpy ride, as it will come to pass, not to stay, and once it does, and they get to that point that they have matured to understand things that previously seemed so “dumb”, and they will come back to ask you for your advice. Mark Twain had a few things to say about fathers and here is another quote from him which depicts what I am saying. “By the time a man realizes that maybe his father was right, he usually has a son who thinks he’s wrong.”
So parenting can be fun and this is entirely up to you, make it fun, make it memorable, you will be so thankful you did. Too many kids in the world are lost in the world and become a problem to society, and a shame to their parents, not because they were born that way, but because they never had the attention that they needed and deserved. It is a responsibility, so make the best of it and have fun whilst doing it! Happy parenting!
