It is eight o’clock and I’m ‘killing’ time to stay awake until I have to pick up my daughter from her softball practice that ends at 9:30pm! Now don’t get me wrong, I am thrilled that my children are curious and love to try so many things. In fact, I am humbled that so many opportunities are available to them—opportunities I never dreamed of having as a child, but Holy Toledo! Nine thirty, really???
What ever happened to that glorious seven o’clock hour after dinner, when children fought over whose turn it was to do the dishes and families gathered in the living room to watch their favorite TV shows? We are lucky to scarf down anything that fits neatly into a tortilla to eat it on the way to a crazy practice. And shows? If you can’t Tivo it, it doesn’t exist, right?
In this day and age, it seems that every minute of every day is scheduled and there is no prime time. In fact, there really is no time at all. When I was growing up, I remember the social norm was that all activities after school had to finish so that that everyone was “home for dinner.” Now, no one seems to honor the evening time at all. Evenings are up for grabs by any coach, for any team, for any reason. And if parents and kids cannot or will not oblige, then they are labeled, “not a team player.”
And while I’m at it, what happened to the day when calling on the phone past 8:00pm was taboo? Or interrupting during dinner was a huge faux pas? Or children were in bed by nine and Sunday afternoons were reserved for dinners at Grandma’s house. Forget that idea… if you have a Sunday open, there must be a torrential downpour in progress or someone’s arm must be dangling by a tendon. Heaven forbid we have any free time!
As I finish this rant blog (rather, as I run out of time because I have to retrieve my daughter from her middle-of-the-night practice), I sigh and think about how wonderful it was to watch Lavern and Shirley and Happy Days on Monday nights. It really was a prime time!
Does your family have any undivided time together anymore? Do tell!
Live the moment,
