Keeping The Ties Strong

 Although most of us still place family as number one on our list of priorities, the increasing demands of everyday life make it more difficult to spend time with our families. Life has become so fast-paced that we forget to slow down. It seems as if we are always in fast-forward mode. The keyword is rush. We rush to get to work, rush to get home, rush to cook a meal, rush to do the laundry, rush to get the kids to their ballgames or dance classes, etc. I have even found myself rushing to have time to relax. It is absurd but true.

I find myself longing for a simpler time. The hurried way in which we live our lives has tremendous effects on us physically, mentally and emotionally, whether we realize it or not. More than likely, most people do not get the proper rest, which eventually results in irritability. This leads to shorter tempers and impatience. We become less tolerant and understanding than we would be normally. The slightest thing get on our nerves. Spouses snap at each other and at the children. Children sense the irritability of their parents and become irritable themselves. Children may feel that they are not getting enough attention from their parents and begin to act negatively in an effort to get the attention they desire.

Parents feel that they don't have enough time to do everything that is required of them, which results in feeling drained and pressured. When parents are working different shifts, it is not even easy to get the family together for a meal. Children may feel neglected when they want to play a game, but Mom or Dad don't have time because they have to go to work. We can explain this to a child, but do they understand completely? Even though they may act as though they understand, they are still children. As children, they still require time and attention. Time is a precious commodity. This is why it is so important to try and keep family ties strong. This is where grandparents can make all the difference in our lives, and the lives of our children. Grandparents are always eager to put forth the extra effort to help out with their families. They understand what working parents go through, because they have already done what their adult children are doing now.

Grandparents can help fill those gaps in the family setting when Mom and Dad can't be there for their children. It may seem like a small thing to take a grandchild to the park for an hour or pick them up after school, but these are the precise things that can make an enormous difference in the lives of the entire family. An hour can give an exhausted parent a chance to relax, go to an important meeting, or catch up with things at work. During that same time period the grandparent and grandchild have a chance to spend some enjoyable and relaxing time together. These are the moments that help keep the family ties strong.