Some of us live our lives one day at a time.

Others have a 20 year plan.

When it comes to being a Dad or Mom, we either had good examples or bad, but probably a mixture.

None of this really matters as much as knowing what values you want your kids to have when they leave the nest.

When I first became a parent, it was a surprise, as was the 2nd and 3rd time.

Then with a purpose, we decided what action to take to stop at 3.

I also eventually knew what values I wanted them to have, and it began with the desire for each of them to be able to be self sufficient in this world of ours.

I wanted each of them to have a basic Christian foundation which began when they were preschoolers.  Later in life, they get to choose their path and I am always open to discussion about beliefs.

Otherwise, I wanted each of them to become the best individual that they could be, which is different for each of them.

Now the grandkids are continuing to come.  On my wife’s side her son has two sons, and my step-daughter and her husband just had their first.

This weekend my eldest daughter is having a birthday party for her 1st who will be one this month.  Her younger sister has 2 under the age of 2 and I love watching all of these family units and parenting styles.

The Dumb Little Man website recently featured an article on a 5 minute trick to dramatically improve quality time with your kids, which both echos what I’ve said and gives much more detail.  Check it out, see if you agree and see if there’s some take-aways that you can apply to your lives as parents.