Togetherness

"What every child craves is something every parent can give - togetherness.  We spend so much time worrying about things - from a clean house, to a manicured lawn, to the list of things to do tomorrow that we didn't get done today.  With all the distractions, we often lose track of our child's needs. 

Yet, there is only one thing needed.  It's the good part - the sitting together to make eye contact and to listen.  The part where we hear what a child's heart has to say in simple, honest, I-need-you words. The moments when they feel alone or neglected... when they're hurting... when they reach for us, and we can show them how God loves.  He knows the distractions.  He pays attention.  He makes us all feel incredibly valuable and loved.

Together time, no matter when or where it happens, is time to heap love on our children and show them they're a God-given good part of our day. It is a way of living that says to a child, "you are priceless."  By Bonnie Jensen, The Simple Joys of Motherhood

 

Daddy is not the babysitter

Don't ever let Dad be called the babysitter. I've heard some Dads say that they are "babysitting" their children, or someone will call him a babysitter.  Let's think for a moment about Webster's definition of babysit.

:to care for children usually during a short absence of the parents; to give care <babysit for a neighbor's pets>

A babysitter watches over childrent for a short period of time until the parents return.  If you apply this same definition to Dad, then that means he's only giving care for a short period of time until Mom - the parent - returns.  This is clearly not the case.

Moms and Dads should both be given the same title as parent and their roles should be equally so.  Both parents bring something different to the table for the child, and both should be highly esteemed.  Daddy is not the babysitter, he is the parent. :-)