Friday, January 29, 2010
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Time Versus Things
In the last decade more and more companies have been successful in providing services to allow parents to free up their precious time from duties/errands. Services such as home delivery dry cleaning, maids, nannies, and lawn care companies have exploded in suburban markets. The idea is to use these services to free up time to spend hopefully with your family or loved ones.
The trend that I am noticing is that using these services has become addictive in the sense that EVERY duty is being hired out. I recently read an article about companies that will now teach your child how to ride a bike, or how do homework or just about anything that involves parental/child interaction. If we don't participate in these with our kids are we not developing any type of memories on an emotional level?
Someone who I have the highest admiration and respect for recently asked me what I remember most about my childhood: emotions/memories or things. Although I have a memory or two about a unique gift (such as the Christmas I got Intellivision), overall I remember the time I shared with my family the most. I was brought up by parents who believed that time was more important than things. They would spend their time just playing board games, kicking a soccer ball, doing art projects, making up games such as "Monster on the Sofa". This complicated game consisted of my brother and I using pillows to take out the Monster (aka my Dad) on the floor and run to the safe-house which was a chair across the room. I also clearly remember my Dad running behind me teaching me to ride my bike. Or vivid memories of washing my grandfather's car every Sunday with my brother.
It is the people that I remember...not things.
The time that I was lucky enough to spend with them.
The challenge now I have as a parent is fighting against the materialism and impatience of the consumer cycle. To show kids that things won't bring happiness, but interaction and relationships with people will. On some days I feel it is an uphill battle that I will never win. Other days I see a glimmer of hope as I dodge the pillow aimed at my head from my little monsters on the sofa.
Thanks again LC for your comments which gave me the idea for this post!!
The trend that I am noticing is that using these services has become addictive in the sense that EVERY duty is being hired out. I recently read an article about companies that will now teach your child how to ride a bike, or how do homework or just about anything that involves parental/child interaction. If we don't participate in these with our kids are we not developing any type of memories on an emotional level?
Someone who I have the highest admiration and respect for recently asked me what I remember most about my childhood: emotions/memories or things. Although I have a memory or two about a unique gift (such as the Christmas I got Intellivision), overall I remember the time I shared with my family the most. I was brought up by parents who believed that time was more important than things. They would spend their time just playing board games, kicking a soccer ball, doing art projects, making up games such as "Monster on the Sofa". This complicated game consisted of my brother and I using pillows to take out the Monster (aka my Dad) on the floor and run to the safe-house which was a chair across the room. I also clearly remember my Dad running behind me teaching me to ride my bike. Or vivid memories of washing my grandfather's car every Sunday with my brother.
It is the people that I remember...not things.
The time that I was lucky enough to spend with them.
The challenge now I have as a parent is fighting against the materialism and impatience of the consumer cycle. To show kids that things won't bring happiness, but interaction and relationships with people will. On some days I feel it is an uphill battle that I will never win. Other days I see a glimmer of hope as I dodge the pillow aimed at my head from my little monsters on the sofa.
Thanks again LC for your comments which gave me the idea for this post!!
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