It’s been said that children spell “love,” T-I-M-E. Would you agree? It’s how they measure your commitment to them over the other things in your life. We read in Ephesians 5:16 that we are to make the most of our time. Here are a few thoughts on showing your kids how much you love them by spending time with them.
Take Initiative
If left to ourselves, most people drift to the path of least resistance. To show your kids how much you love them, you have to be alert to opportunities as they happen. Many times, we know what those opportunities are or we see them unfolding, but we just don’t capture them. We justify all the reasons NOT to do something: “I don’t have time”, “They are busy doing something else”, etc. These are just excuses. I like to say excuses are lies we tell ourselves to avoid the truth. Do what you have to make sure you spend one-on-one time with your kids.
Invest Where It Counts
We don’t need to break the bank to spend time with our kids, but when deciding what to do becomes a financial matter, the investment into your family yields great returns. It creates a memory that money can’t buy. Sometimes you just need to rearrange the budget (not go into debt) and do things your kids will cherish for a lifetime. And not every moment requires money. Bottom line: any investment of money into time with your kids is worth it!
Make the Most of Minor Things
Spending time with our kids is all about the time and less about the event. Time with them is not limited to vacations and special events. It’s celebrating a good grade, theme nights at the dinner table, or late-night ice cream runs. The list is limitless. Our kids just want our attention and devotion. [Great tip: make a point to spend one-on-one time with each child on the day of their birthday, each month. If they were born on August 12, then the 12th of each month is “Fun Time with Dad.”] Here’s a list of ideas.
Embrace the Hard Times
Time spent with our kids is not limited to “fun times.” Sometimes it’s being there when their day gets sideways that makes an impression. And we don’t have to fix the problem. Many times, we just need to be with them, hold them, let them talk, and – the best move – pray with them. Your children need to hear you pray for them and over them.
dm/ap