Looking Back, Talking and Learning

New years come, and new years go. That's the nature of time - to march on, waiting for none. We have built clocks and kept time, but humans have not understood time. At least understood it enough to explain to others. There were ancients it's said who knew, and I'm sure there are many in the world who comprehend even today, but as ordinary mortals, we just keep pace with time for as long as possible.

'What then is time? Provided that no one asks me, I know. If I want to explain it to an inquirer, I do not know.’ Saint Augustine, Confessions (397-400 AD)

Now that we have rung in 2017, let's pause and look back. At the year gone by, the good things we have done and at the things we should have done better.

la pioggia by amira_a

Better Parenting

As a parent, it's wise to spend more time with the kids. Playing together and listening to what they have to say improves the bonding between parents and kids. Occasionally we might have to participate in things they enjoy, which we might not enjoy very much, primarily because we need to find common ground. The kids love dragon games, but the parents might not be fond of dragons. The trick is to do things with kids which involve dragons. Perhaps you could find out fun things about dragons to share with them. Try some dragon crafts. Or dragon food for a change. 

Learning from the Year Gone By

Without our realizing it, the kids were spending way too much time on digital devices. We had kept tabs, but when we got a little busy, they found their own way to fill up their time. This year we'll restructure our day to ensure that the kids have more time where one of us can engage them in some activity or drop them to a play date at least. 

Communication

Children get their language skills from parents and caretakers who talk to them. They learn to talk by imitating the sounds we make. At all times, even when tempers are high, the lines of communication must be kept open. They must understand that no fight or argument is worth closing communications with the parents. This keeps them happy and safe. 

Time slips away even as we dither. During the core parenting years the kids must come first, or before we know it they'll be all grown up with traits we might not like in them. As parents we sometimes notice the passage of time by the way our kids have grown, or by the way their pants have shortened! Just as we notice the physical changes in our kids, we must be observant enough about their character growth too. Parenting not only about providing, it's a lot about nurturing both the body and the soul. Next New Year, let's look back in time at a job well done.