A Cheap (Little Man) Date
When I talk to friends, I hear many stories about how they take their kids to these extravagant events and expensive activities. All of it sounds fun, very fun. It's what they say next that causes me to scratch my head: "We just want to give our kids a good summer." In these conversations, the messaging is clear: spending money = a good summer; not spending money = a bad summer. They don't outright say that, but it's intertwined into the fabric of the conversation.
Again, I'm not opposed to any of it. In fact, there are a few things I'll do with my kids this summer that will probably cost some money. However, I try to NEVER define the quality of our time together by how much or how little it costs. Last night was a great example. The boys wanted to make a fire in the backyard, roast some marshmallows, toss the football around, and watch a movie. That was their definition of a fun night with dad. And all it cost us was a few pieces of wood and a couple of marshmallows. More importantly, it cost my presence. I needed to put down the work, get rid of the phone, and simply focus on them. Frankly, that can sometimes be harder than blindly spending money. Time and attention are precious resources, but it's the currency of childhood.
After a busy weekend, I asked the boys what their favorite things were. For context, we did a lot of fun activities and attended kid-friendly events that I would have loved when I was their age. I had no idea how they would respond to my question. After thinking about all the fun we had during the weekend, Pax responded, "playing football in the front yard with you." Wow. That one got me.
Parents, don't feel like the best way to your children's heart (and their wonder) is to spend money and do crazy things. Nothing wrong with those things! Do some cool things! But remember, doing those things isn't a prerequisite to creating lifelong memories and providing a good life. The good life starts with our attention, time, and love. The rest is just noise.
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