Today marks a brand new school year for your family. Hopefully it is filled with excitement and joy. For me, it is the first time in 17 years that I do not have a child to take or pick up from school, as my youngest son will be driving himself to school. Although I am grateful for the independence my children have acquired, it makes me sad to know they don't need me as much as they use to. It's hard watching your children grow up, especially when you've been an involved parent. I remember taking my oldest son to kindergarten and someone telling me that in the blink of an eye, he would be grown. They were right. He's now a senior in college, my middle son is a sophomore in college, and my baby is a sophomore in high school. Life doesn't slow down.
My prayer for you as you start this year, is that you don't let time slip by without making the time you have with each other count. Make time for each other. Eat dinner together without your cell phones and without the television on. Talk to each other. Instead of asking, "how was your day?" have your children tell you about their day. Ask them to tell you something funny that happened, ask if they played a new game at recess, ask who their friends are, have them tell you 1 good thing/1 bad things about their day. Make car time a priority. I made a rule never to be on my phone when my children were in the car. Great conversations can happen when your stuck together in a car. :) Your children are the greatest investment you can make. Invest well.