Lately I have found myself evaluating my life. I find myself thinking about how I relate to my child, my spouse, my faith, my friends...just about everything. This may have something to do with the fact that I have become more conscience of how I spend my time and how every day I have less of it.
Regardless, it has been on my mind lately that I am often guilty of not giving the people I love my UNDIVIDED attention. I can not tell you how many times Logan rushes in, all excited about some new accomplishment or idea and I am in the middle of something, be it writing, reading, or working around the house. Regardless of what I am doing, I have found that I rarely stop and give my child my undivided attention.
Now, I understand the importance of a child learning patience and learning not to interrupt, but often times, in his young mind, what he has to share with me is so earth moving and exciting, it deserves my full attention. He deserves to know that what he has to say is important enough for me to literally STOP what I am doing and listen to him.
God has really been "talking" to me lately about this. It has been on my heart that I am only given a certain amount of time to influence and encourage my child. In a few years he will be grown and gone. If I continue to shove his excitement to the back of the line or only give him some lame, half-assed part of my attention, eventually he will no longer have the desire to share these parts of himself with me. What a pity that would be:(
I am determined to STOP, LOOK, AND LISTEN as much as possible and to give the people I love my UNDIVIDED attention. They deserve nothing less.
The first step to almost anything is "awareness." It sounds like you already have that down. Nicely done. :)
ReplyDeleteI totally get where you are coming from. People get annoyed with me when I stop what we are doing to give my attention to my brother. He is disabled and does not understand how to wait until another is finished. In addition, too many times, he is pushed to the back burner because of his disabilities. I do not wish for him to feel inferior, so I stop what I am doing and give him my undivided attention, even if it means upsetting someone else who should understand. Kudos for you understanding this as well. :)
ReplyDeleteThat is soo true, Renee!! It was put on my heart, when my kids were young to give them my full attention, and it has paid off. Now they are adults, they do call or come and talk to me about what's going on in their lives. They know I will listen and be there for them!! Enjoy every moment you can with them...they grow sooo fast!! :)
ReplyDeleteGreat blog Renee! I have to learn to make time for me too. I need my undivided attention sometimes. ;)
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, the older kids miss out on this more daily because I allow the needs of the younger two to monopolize my time. Cory and I have tried to create days where we can give the kids a little more individual, undivided attention. Taking turns doing something special with each of them.
ReplyDeleteThe real battle is usually for grown up time.