Mr. Rogers and family time

Our family bought a piano and so the first thing I tried to play after a long hiatus was from Mr. Rogers. It was a good idea, but you wouldn’t be able to tell what I was doing. I’m getting better, however.

In an interview from 1986, Mr. Fred Rogers spoke to Hour Magazineabout children, his work on the television show he referred to as “the Neighborhood,” and parents. He was asked several questions including his thoughts on quality time versus quantity time with children. I was amazed that in 1986, they were looking at this new phenomena called the ”two-parent working family” and talking about a book that would help children understand the concept of daycare when the time came. Crazy. Mr. Rogers gave his thoughts on family time by saying something to the effect that ten minutes a week, month, or year, does little for the child despite any quality time being used. As he was speaking, it’s like I was in front of the televesion again. The voice, the mannerisms were all the same, all there. He was captivating. As he was speaking, you could understand that his heart goes out to children, to their innocence, to the caring and nurturing of their mind and body. I loved watching this guy. It does well to know that the family unit - although so drastically distorted within the past 22 years - is still sacred. His personal decisions with his wife for their children were thoughtful and loving on both parts. His comments on affirming that children will always be taken care of, even when Mr. Rogers is gone, were so simple that it felt monumental. I want to be sure that simple truth isn’t memorialized, celebrated with the passing of a hero, but lived daily in my own life and those around me. I’m in full support of the beautiful neighborhood he loved to talk about.

The Divorce Generation - Newsweek

Rather than write a review, I wanted to link the Newsweek article following a highschool class of 1982 entitled “The Divorce Generation Grows Up.” It follows the adult alumnae of an LA school who went through their parent’s divorce during adolescence. It serves as a cultural commentary to the expectations that exist for our current generation of youth as they date and form beliefs regarding their own singleness, family, and concept of marriage. From my privileges working with youth, it hurts me to see the pain that many young men and women are going through because of divorce. The reasons are endless, but the growing prevelance of the divorce category does little to offer hope to those who want to fill the void of a family that has separated. The good news of Jesus’ love for us stretches out to them and speaks to their hearts even more so in times that seem to them so dark, and when love is most needed but unmet.    

Keep Moving Forward

 

The thing about great movies is they never go out of style. If you haven’t seen Disney’s Meet the Robinsons, you need to. Now. A really sweet friend of mine brought it out one day and I fell in love with it. There’s no shame in saying that yes, I actually teared up towards the end. =) PLEASE check it out! If you like beautiful family-oriented movies, it’s a great gift.

One of the coolest parts of the movie is the theme that little Lewis (the boy scientist) adopts: keep moving forward. That’s what it’s all about. Move forward when you’re getting a crummy hand of cards. And then watch this movie.