A little time means a lot to children

“The best inheritance a parent can give his children is a few minutes of his time each day.” 

— Orlando Aloysius Battista

When I get home from work most evenings, my mind is racing.

I’m usually focused on some meeting I just had or the household tasks before me: make a phone call, pay the bills, fix something that’s broken. I’m going a hundred miles per hour.

Thankfully, my young daughter has other ideas. She always greets me with a big hug. Then she’s ready to tell me about her day, play a game or engage me in some fashion. She’s a real life air brake, and I’ve learned to embrace it.

We sit on the couch and talk, read a book or review her school work. Often, she’s bursting to tell me a story about her day. How we spend the time is unimportant, but I’m going to give her 15 minutes of undivided attention. No cell phone; no checking the mail. Just family time for 15 minutes, then if needed I can race off to tackle the world before circling around to her later in the evening.

Some weekdays we spend more time together; other days not so much. Regardless, this simple time together means a lot to her — and to me. It’s also a remarkable stress reliever: suddenly that crazy project at work isn’t so all-consuming.

The length of time spent with children isn’t always the most important factor. A little time can still mean a lot.