Spend Time With Your Kids

One Saturday afternoon at home, my youngest daughter requested me to watch an old VCD movie of mine entitled ‘Runaway Bride’ (a love story movie of Julia Roberts and Richard Gere). My reply was that I can’t watch the movie for I’ve been waiting for the 4pm do or die game of the UAAP 79 women’s volleyball final game between De La Salle University and Ateneo de Manila University.

I’ve been an avid fan of the Ateneo Lady Blue Eagles Team ever since. After I declined my daughter’s invitation to watch the said movie, she just said okay and jokingly told me that I preferred to watch the volleyball game versus spending time with her and her sister. Said joke made me aware of the situation so I told my youngest daughter, okay let us watch the movie. But then she said, Mimay (my daughter’s term of endearment to me), it’s fine… you can watch the volleyball game.

So at around 4pm, I excitedly watched the game. During the first set of the game, Ateneo was leading the score, but I seemed not to concentrate on the game for I’ve been bothered by my daughter’s joke earlier. I realized that she must have been telling the truth. And indeed I realized she was right I did not prioritize spending time with them. Conscience won and the enlightenment of the Holy Spirit to do what is right prevailed. So, I turned the TV off and looked for my daughters and humbly told them “let’s watch the movie”. They told me, “Mimay, are you sure?” And I said, “yeah I’m sure.” I can’t remember the last time I’ve watched said chick flick movie, but I can say that I enjoyed it most because I got to watch it together with my girls. After the movie, I immediately checked the volleyball game and the team I was rooting for, lost. I was disappointed but, nonetheless thankful for I didn’t see my team suffer defeat.

The lesson I learned about the above incident was that as parents, we should prioritize spending time with our children. No matter how busy you are or you have other plans to do, our attention should be focused on our kids. Our children will not be around always. Someday, they will have their own life to live and eventually will leave our homes. Now that they are still under our care, it is best to take this opportunity to be with them. Since it is summertime and most kids are at home, let us make it a point to engage them in family activities. Though, school opening is just around the corner it’s not yet too late to spend quality time with our kids. Family activities could be watching TV series, koreanovelas, old movies or even new movies at the mall. You may also engage in sports activities like playing badminton, tennis or basketball. Others may opt to play board games like chess, monopoly or snakes and ladders. As parents may we be reminded that our children are heritage from the Lord (Psalms 127:3). Thus, we should take good care of them just like a good shepherd.

On another note, let us greet all mothers out there a Happy Mother’s Day. May you continue to be a source of inspiration and strength for your families. May we, mothers be reminded that “Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised” (Proverbs 31:30). Let us also greet our very dear mother Mary, a happy mother’s day too. Thank you for always interceding for us. Through Mama Mary to Jesus! (Bing Orbeta-Robles)