Quality Time

I have just returned from 3 days in the mountains of Seorak National Park on the east coast of Korea - without doubt one of the most beautiful places in the world!

During these 3 days my family and I spent some very precious quality time together hiking through the trails and up the mountains. As we walked we engaged in some wonderful conversations - not parent to child, or teacher to student, just person to person. We talked about our dreams and our fears, our loves and our concerns, and we even tackled some of the universe's philosophical questions.

One of the highlights was seeing my 6 year old daughter and my 8 year old son really challenge themselves and get beyond their comfort zone. We did some challenging hikes and when things got tough the two of them were telling themselves that they could do it and to just keep going. They were even encouraging each other and when we made it to our goal they displayed real pride in themselves and in each other.

As busy parents it is often hard to find this sort of quality time to spend with our children, and it seems that as our children enter middle school and become teenagers that this becomes even more difficult. One question to consider is, "When was the last time I sat down and talked with my child just to talk and listen?" Often our conversations revolve around questions like, How's school? Have you done your homework? Have you cleaned your room?

During this Chuseok break I hope you have had lots of opportunities to sit down, or walk, or ride with your children and engage in some deep and personal conversations - you never know what your children may teach you during these conversations.