I have been enjoying a wonderful reunion with childhood friends this week. It has been enlightening on several levels. My hosts, Ginny and Mike Walters, have been gracious and generous in every possible way. They are in the mortgage lending business professionally, but I have another business venture for them if they ever get bored.

Ginny and Mike are raising four children. The two younger kids are 13 year old twins. During my two day stay in their home this week I have been reminded of some important parenting strategies that actually make a major difference in the lives of children. I watched Ginny take time to play a game of ping pong with her 17 year old son. That may sound a little trite on the surface, but I find that such simple pleasures with our teenage children are often foregone. It is no great surprise that he is a polite and respectful young man who meets adults very well.
Taking time for recreational companionship with our children is of utmost importance.

Ginny mentioned this morning that she has date nights planned for each of the four children in the very near future. Tickets for live shows are being purchased and dinner plans at unusual restaurants are being scheduled. My hunch is that each of those kids will remember every detail of those meaningful outings with their mother. Investing significant blocks of time in each individual child in a family is one of the wisest choices a parent can make.

Their older son is already out of high school. They are successfully coaching him through the maze of financial and academic responsibility, as he completes coursework at a local technical school. They do not expect the school or anyone else to complete that very challenging aspect of parenting a young adult for them. Parenting kids after they turn 18 gets interesting. It is not a journey for the faint in heart. I deeply admire my hosts for their commitment to their oldest son during this critical time period.

The final event I observed over these past two days is a ritual that has largely gone by the wayside in the fast paced life of most American families. My host family sat down to a home cooked meal tonight. Cloth napkins were even included in the table setting. The kids were engaged in positive conversation and good manners were observed. I find it a true shame that this time honored ritual is fading fast. Good things happen when families put their feet under a table together at home!

The reunion has been exceptional. I have a lot of information to process over the next few days. Journeys down memory lane are somewhat complex. There is a lot to think about. But tonight I am convicted about going home and being a better dad. I have had the privilege of watching some real pros over the past two day, and for that I am grateful. I am fairy certain that the mortgage lending business will keep Ginny and Mike’s attention for years to come, but just in case they get bored…. How about a parenting consulting business?