Time

There’s something going around on social media where a mom asks her child a simple question, “Would you rather I play with you for 20 minutes, or would you rather I buy you a toy?”

If I asked my child that, I would assume he would say, “Spend time with me.” He’s the youngest, and I feel like he really enjoys just being around me. The youngest sometimes holds on to that time with their parents a little longer.

Toys come and go. Kids get excited about them for a while, but after some time they end up pushed to the side, under the bed, or mixed in with a pile of other toys. Time is different. Kids remember when you sat down and played with them. They remember when you listened to their stories, laughed with them, or gave them your full attention.

Sometimes as adults we think buying things is a way of showing love. And it can be nice. But many times kids really just want us. They want us to look up from the phone, turn off the TV, sit down with them, and spend a little time in their world.

Even something as small as 20 minutes can mean a lot to a child. That time can make them feel important. It shows them they matter and that being with them is not something you have to do, it is something you want to do.

That is also one thing kids and older adults have in common. They both value quality time. Sitting together, having a conversation, listening, or just being there. Those moments often mean more than gifts or anything you can buy.

Life gets busy. Parents work, run errands, and handle responsibilities every day. But the time we spend with our kids is something we cannot get back later. They grow up quickly, and one day those simple moments of sitting on the floor and playing will be gone.

Sometimes they just want the things that money cannot buy.

Good thing, I’m broke.

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