Here’s a little Christmas-time reminder for parents. . . parents who are busy. . . parents who are willing to give their kids all the material things they didn’t have when they were growing up. . . parents who so easily forget what it is that our kids really need: Don’t believe the lie that “quality time” is just as important as “quantity time.” In reality, the two go hand in hand. Don’t invoke the myth of “quality time” to justify your absence from home in order to pursue career success and/or your personal interests/pursuits. . . and to substitute for your parental presence with an abundance of stuff.
When high school students were asked about their wishes for a better life, you might be surprised at what they said. A small number wished for more money and a bigger house. Not surprising since those things are terribly overvalued in our culture. But here’s the thing those high schoolers wished for more than anything else: “more time spent with my family.” Guess what? You can make that wish come true.
That said, we’ve got to give a nod of approval to the folks at IKEA for the video ad embedded below. It’s doesn’t matter if our kids are younger or older. They want what they’ve been made for. Just watch. . . .