http://www.earlytolearn.com/2009/recent-articles/go-with-what-you-know/ Setting the foundation for a lifetime of learning and success. Fri, 07 Oct 2011 09:17:45 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=abc hourly 1 http://www.earlytolearn.com/2009/recent-articles/go-with-what-you-know/comment-page-1/#comment-107 Susan Wed, 04 May 2011 17:30:21 +0000 http://www.earlytolearn.com/?p=914#comment-107 I have a little girl who is 4 and a boy who is 2. It's amazing to see the difference. She loved dolls and he is obsessed with TRAINS! I have a little girl who is 4 and a boy who is 2. It’s amazing to see the difference. She loved dolls and he is obsessed with TRAINS!

]]> http://www.earlytolearn.com/2009/recent-articles/go-with-what-you-know/comment-page-1/#comment-56 steve weaver Sat, 20 Jun 2009 04:03:51 +0000 http://www.earlytolearn.com/?p=914#comment-56 I read both posts and think the idea of a "Post swap" is a great way for y'all to expand your audience and help each other add perspective to the blogs. Here's a short story to emphasize the importance of "time spent with kids". Not too long after our divorce I met me ex-wife at their church to pick up my daughter and her 2 1/2 sisters (They weren't technically mine but that don't stop love!). While the kids were getting their stuff together my ex and a few of her friends were waiting out front near me and discussing the "Fathers' weekend" thing. One lady piped up with, "Yeah, the kids are always excited to go to their Dads, he has video games and all the cool toys at his place". My ex responded, "WE are the ones who have all that stuff and he has nothing but the kids still prefer to go with him!!" (I was literally homeless at this point in time and renting hotel rooms for my weekend visitations.) The point is: The kids preferred spending time with me because I didn't hand them toys and then ignore them, We did things together like visiting the botanical gardens, going to museums or playing in the park. It isn't what you can buy a child or even teach them that makes an impact, it is simply giving them some of your undivided attention. So don't worry about what you might be missing with your son, just take advantage of the time you do have together to make sure he knows how important he is to you. My daughter is 22 now. We probably have one of the most open and honest relationships you'll ever find between a parent and child. I read both posts and think the idea of a “Post swap” is a great way for y’all to expand your audience and help each other add perspective to the blogs.
Here’s a short story to emphasize the importance of “time spent with kids”.
Not too long after our divorce I met me ex-wife at their church to pick up my daughter and her 2 1/2 sisters (They weren’t technically mine but that don’t stop love!). While the kids were getting their stuff together my ex and a few of her friends were waiting out front near me and discussing the “Fathers’ weekend” thing. One lady piped up with, “Yeah, the kids are always excited to go to their Dads, he has video games and all the cool toys at his place”. My ex responded, “WE are the ones who have all that stuff and he has nothing but the kids still prefer to go with him!!” (I was literally homeless at this point in time and renting hotel rooms for my weekend visitations.)
The point is: The kids preferred spending time with me because I didn’t hand them toys and then ignore them, We did things together like visiting the botanical gardens, going to museums or playing in the park. It isn’t what you can buy a child or even teach them that makes an impact, it is simply giving them some of your undivided attention.
So don’t worry about what you might be missing with your son, just take advantage of the time you do have together to make sure he knows how important he is to you.
My daughter is 22 now. We probably have one of the most open and honest relationships you’ll ever find between a parent and child.

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