I had breakfast in the mall this morning with my family. On our way back to the car, my dad spotted a van in the parking lot, parked completely skew and with one wheel standing on the curb, leaving the van to lean over.
In South Africa this is not a rare sight, in fact, one might expect this from taxi drivers. The irony here was the writing on the van: Children in transit, please drive safe....
That made me think. I sometimes feel that people who shouldn't have children, have too many, and people with no children could have been great parents.
What kind of parent are you?
What kind of parent are you?
How safe are our children really? Do you know who drives their proverbial van? Who are their friends, where were they last night? Will they talk to you when they get into trouble? Or are you one of those parents who let their children drive with the badly parked "Children in transit, please drive safe" van? Do you let the TV teach them their values? Blame the teacher for their manners? Blame their friends for their drug habit? Or are you a parent who knows the value of discipline, love and security. Can your children feel safe with you and the people you let into their lives? Do you take responsibility for their upbringing?
I heard that the average parent spend 7 minutes per day with their children!!?? What kind of lasting impression or memory can you leave in such a short time? Do you think they feel important, loved and free to talk about anything that bothers them in such a short time? What do you think they will tell their children one day about the type of parents they had?
If a child doesn't feel love and security at home, they will grab any kind of love and attention (especially the wrong ones) at the first opportunity. Make time for your loved ones, it will make all the difference in the world in their upbringing. They are looking for your time and attention, not money and expensive gifts. Even working parents can find more than 7 minutes a day for their children. I know it's easier said than done, but with a concerted effort, everyone can do better.
How do you park your van, and what vans do you let your children get in to?
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