The Art of Homemaking---Spending Time With Our Boys

A few weeks ago I bought a book published in 1951 called "How Book of Cub Scouting". I'm not a scout leader nor do I have any boys in cub scouts (yet) but the book was old and kitchy and had some great old photos and illustrations.

Then this week I opened it up and read the forward. Here is part of what is said:

"Any father who wants to do something with his boy can find in this book ideas and suggestions. He and his boy will become real pals even if they do a few of the things suggested. With an upturned chair and five rings cut from cardboard they can start "ring toss" which is a game of skill...This book...is dedicated to those adults who wish to renew their contact with boys."

As I thumbed through the rest of the book I found literally hundreds of activities...everything from how to make your own kite to building "a backyard den". Some of the activities are hilarious (like the cardboard ring toss being a game of skill) and others I can't wait to add to our summer to do list.

But what I noticed is that EVERY SINGE ACTIVITY involved spending time together...real time...interactive time...quality time.

Sometimes I throw myself a pity party because we don't have the money to go on extravagant vacations, buy the cool video games, and take our kids to all the new movies and water parks. But then I read something like this and I remember that was really important is spending time together.

Last night, after a long day of family play we were having our Friday night camp out in front of the TV when Simon said, "We are so rich."

"What makes you say that?" we asked.

"Because look at all the cool stuff we have"

And this he says as he is laying on Wal-Mart clearance blankets that are years old, watching a hand-me-down TV in front of twice handed down couches...

My husband and I started to laugh and then Simon laughed too (although he didn't know why) and says, "I love our family."

I love my family too. We only have our little ones for such a short time and then they're gone. They want our time, not things. Our time is what makes their lives rich.

So while I really want an annual pass to Disneyland, new carpet, furniture that I picked out myself, and an endless account to use only for entertainment I won't complain (too much). I'll try to remember how rich I really am and how rich I felt last night together in a heap of hand me downs with the people I love most in the world.

Our boys want our time. They need our time. They need "real pals"---and maybe even some afternoons spent playing real "games of skill". I'm so glad that Elizabeth had the idea to spend some of our blog time on our boys. In writing my posts it helped me think about what things I really want and should do with Simon this summer. It has been just what I've needed.

Here's to my afternoon to be spent in the sprinklers, on a bike ride, and shooting hoops. Simon was right my life really is "so rich" indeed.