Taking the Time always pays off.

1996

You don't know the meaning of the true joy of Parenthood until your little girl asks for some 'Hose Time' with her.

My youngest 'Daddy's Girl', spent weekends and summers with me growing up. How I long for those 'simple days' again; we went every-where together, spent days at the beach...played board games and competed with each other in naming songs on the radio the quickest.

There were three songs that really stand out in my memory; 'The Great White North' by Bob and Doug MacKenzie with Rush's Geddy Lee helping with the vocals; 'Twilight Zone' by Golden Earring and 'In the Air Tonight' by Phil Collins. When the big drummer part started, we'd both bang away on our 'air drums', when we'd hear the start of the great white north, we'd always try to be the first to tell the other to 'take off, you hoser'; I still to this day refer to her as 'The Hose' and the two super grand sons she's blessed me with as 'The Sons of Hose'. Twilight Zone was included because of the video on MTV (back when MTV was worth watching), the chorus girls would dance and there was one who 'caught my eye', I'd say, I like that one and The Hose would say she had 'fat legs', I'd say no she don't, yes she does, no she don't...this routine carried over to the Van radio. To this day, all three things are a part of our lives.

My 'little girl' is 32 now and it's like there has been no time elapse...we're just as 'slap-stick' as ever.
The point of all this is simply this, if as a parent, you spend time..real time...with your children as they grow up, show an interest in them and what they do, be there when they need guidance...they'll grow up as productive, well adjusted adults. They won't be like you see (and I'm sure it's not the majority) on TV where the teens and now even the elementary schoolers are doing things most of us won't do as adults...killing homeless people, raping, doing all kinds of drugs and then dieing before they have a chance to live. They grow much too fast, never having time to enjoy their childhood, we have to tell them things about the world before they are really old enough to understand what's going on.

It will make little difference if the parents are divorced as long as they are civil with each other; caring for the children should be first and foremost, keeping the arguments (hell, you're divorced), to a minimum, not 'bad talking' the 'other parent' or using the kids as pawns, this will only damage the kids, you may feel good about yourself, but at the cost of the children? That's extreme selfishness, no matter who was 'in the right' or who was 'in the wrong'.

Same goes for parents who both work, you must sacrifice to be with your children instead of them being 'latch-key' kids. If you have to, work different shifts, work out of the home...just remember that you also have to make time for each other; 'date' your wife or husband on weekends, keep the spark alive, your family will be healthier for it.

Do these things, they are simple things not difficult so keep it that way. Don't live beyond your means, keeping up with the 'Jones', time spent laughing and playing with your children are worth way more than any material thing you want...see to your 'needs', not your 'wants'.

Keep in mind, there is more at stake today, in this world, than at any other time; our Country will need our young to grow strong in mind, be able to deal with life's problems and be independent. As a country,we were that before, we can be that again and still...but it has to start in the home...Respect, Responsibility and Discipline must be earned and taught by Parents, Teachers will be able to teach better and the schools will be able to re-enforce these values if the kids have a good start and support from the home.

P5 Driver