We're still in the dawn of this young century, but it's pretty clear that the burdens on the modern parent have increased�particularly as it pertains to the time we have to be a parent. And as we look at some of the social problems that plague America from border to border, it's evident that this issue of parents spending more time working than offering their children the supervision and guidance they need is beginning to have an effect.
Another way to save some time from running your kids all over the place, whether you decide to cut back on work or not, is to provide recreation at home. It's still nice to get out, but you can save a lot of time by making the home environment more fun.Nibbles: Hollywood's famed philosophical quip in "Forrest Gump" - - "Life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're going to get," has any extra meaning in Charm City this week. News that Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. is moving its first Maryland location into the Harborplace corner now occupied by Phillips Seafood has been met by applause by some polled (very informally, definitely not scientific) ... Watch those calories if you're following the mayor's race! Last week, Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake opened her campaign HQ with a fried chicken spread. This Saturday, Democratic challenger state Sen. Catherine Pugh is offering a fish fry at her HQ at 11 a.m. at 819 E. Baltimore St. ... A 3,000-square foot Sushi Hana opened on June 6 in the Yorkridge Shopping Center in Lutherville. The deal was brokered by JBL Real Estate.It probably sounds counter-intuitive when you imagine the clich� soccer mom (or dad), but getting your children involved in team sports can actually lead to saved time. Why? Because it means your kids are in a supervised situation - that is a positive influence on their lives, I might add - saving you the trouble of having to pick them up from school or welcome them home.Some parents just expect a little too much out of children. It's often because they want them to be the ultimate success in life�to do better in school, sports, and life than all the others. It's understandable to want the best for your child, but some parent's need to lighten up a little bit and relinquish control.3. Strict ParentsBut what are you to do? After all, we can't just stop working now, can we? Well, parents simply have to find ways to be more productive and do more with less time. It's a skill that takes constant improvement, but here are 5 small tips to help you out.1. A Changing WorldThe local group purchased Union Rowe, formerly Franklin Square Apartments, this spring.2. Collaborate With Other ParentsFirst off, the world has just changed, and that's not always a good thing in every way. Kids have unlimited access to video games, movies, cell phones, the internet, and all kinds of electronic media now. Their idea of what constitutes a good time is a bit different than what ours was, and they spend a lot of time just wired in.Some parents don't realize this and add it all up to just goofing off. Some may even think that encouraging too much horsing around somehow limits your child's maturity development, but when you understand just how vital this type of activity is, it becomes much easier to let it run its course.While most parents just think of ways to save time and "fit" their kids around their busy schedules, sometimes we need to re-evaluate the time our career takes up. It might be time to make some professional and financial sacrifices and spend a little more time being a parent.Invest in some board games. Stock a bookshelf and teach your kids to love the art of reading for pleasure.The media bombards us these days with stories of violent crimes people who prey on children. These things happen no more than in the past�in fact, many researches claim that the odds of your child being kidnapped or otherwise victimized have actually gone way down. Sensationalism just puts it in the spotlight, drawing our attention to it, and as a result we are afraid to let our kids out of the house alone.
How about more active ideas that get them out of the house? Put up a basketball hoop. Set up some playground equipment. Some well placed equipment can turn your yard into a heaven for kids and keep them happy and active while you're handling responsibilities around the house.
Author: James Druman
No comments:
Post a Comment