Giving our Children Memories

For some reason, I’ve been looking at this rock a lot the last few days. It was a gift from some close friends many years ago. And, it’s one of my favorite keepsakes.

But lately, it’s been reminding me of something that I was told soon after I became a dad for the first time. I don’t know who said this. I don’t know if it was something I read. But I do remember it registering with me as something worth holding onto:

Our most important job as parents is to give our children memories.

When I first heard those words, I thought about Kodak moments. Happy, cheery memories.

But the longer I’ve been a dad, the more I’ve come to understand that it’s ALL about giving kids memories. Memories of values. Memories of how to treat others. Memories of what’s right and wrong. Memories of having priorities. Memories of how to face adversity. Memories that forever etch within their minds what it is like to be a person of character. And conviction.

And yes, memories of happy, joy-filled times.

The more I think about parenting like that, the simpler – and more awesome – this journey becomes.