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Dear Readers,
Recently, someone sent me a list of Clint Eastwood’s
“10 Rules a Man Should Live By” from Newsmax.com. I
found it funny and in some cases, true.
Originally published in the Men’s Journal,
Eastwood's wrote his rules in hopes of inspiring men
all across America. However, I think they apply to
all of us, men or women. Eastwood, who is a
self-described libertarian, says his rules are:
1. Call your own shots.
2. Be fearless.
3. Keep moving.
4. Love your job.
5. Speak softly.
6. Don't be predictable.
7. Find a good woman. (Or for women, a good man)
8. Learn to play the piano.
9. You are what you drive.
10. Avoid extreme makeovers.
I especially like number 9, “You are what you
drive”. Recently, I saw the slogan, “Life is too
short to drive a boring car”. I agree with both of
these statements, especially if you spend a great
deal of time in your car. So, the car you drive is
extremely important. You want safety, dependability
and style. If you have kids, your car also becomes
more than just a car. At times, it feels like a
restaurant on wheels or an office. It is also the
place where you spend a great deal of quality time
with your children. That’s right, I said quality. I
am convinced that the hours spent driving back and
forth can be quality time.
Look at it this way; you are only a few feet away
from your children. You hear everything they say. If
their friends are in the car, you might even hear
more than you want to know. Trapped as you hurtle
down the highway, they have no choice but to listen
to you. It is your opportunity to share your values
with them through stories, questions or just good
conversation. The only way to really get to know
someone is to spend time talking to them. What
better place than inside a confined space?
So, thinking of your car as the place where you
spend quality time with your children, you might
want to make a few changes.
Take out the radio. Listening to music together is a
wonderful thing. But, listening to hours of their
music is not necessarily quality time. If the radio
were to mysteriously die, it would create a great
opportunity for conversation.
Change your route. Driving on the beltway is
stressful. Sometimes when you talk to your kids,
they bring up the strangest topics. Trust me, you do
not want to be on the highway during rush hour
trying to explain where babies come from. Try an
alternate route from time to time. Besides, without
the hectic highway traffic, you can safely give your
kids more attention. Backroads also offer new sights
and things to talk about.
Talk about current events. The drive to school is a
great time to discuss local and world events. This
prepares them for discussions in school. You might
find that they already have views and opinions about
what goes on in our world. You might even be able to
sneak in a little learning opportunity here and
there.
Give your self a little extra time. It is amazing
how these conversations can become very interesting.
Arriving just a couple of minutes early in the
parking lot at school can allow you to finish a
conversation. Be sure to tell your child how much
you enjoy hearing their point of view and the time
together. Sometimes just saying the words makes the
time feel special.
Making most of your time with your children is a
great idea. To make it even better, make sure you
love driving your car. Then, after you drop them
off, you can put down the top and enjoy the ride
back home.
‘Til November, Happy Parenting.
Brenda |
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