Their version of "Important"

At various times throughout the day, but ultimately what seems to me to be busy times when everyone needs to focus, my kids have their own version of "important." It also happens quite often when they should be sleeping.

Stick with me. Here are some examples.

I'm in the middle of making supper, unloading the dishwasher and helping my daughter learn to write her name when my son calls me from another room. "Hurry," he says, "It's important!" Upon arriving in his room, he says "Can you turn up my tv?"

I'm not joking.

How about when everyone is settled into bed, and I'm FINALLY sitting on the couch for a minute when I hear "MOMMIEEE!!!" Because once in a while I'm entitled to be lazy, I yell back "WHAT?" The little voice returns, "Could you come here? It's important." So I go. "Do you think I should wear the pink shirt or the purple one tomorrow?"

It's not that I don't think the things my kids think are important aren't (wow, how's that for sentence structure?). To them, those things are important. They probably don't understand why emptying the dishwasher is something I consider important.

Which leads me to the IMPORTANT part of this message. In Sunday School, someone mentioned that talking on a cell phone while driving takes attention away from the road. BUT, the road also takes attention away from the conversation, which also matters. We should take the time to make each thing we're doing the important thing we focus on. Maybe them telling me "It's important" is their way of reminding me that I'm too over-tasked, and that the ONE THING they want/need at that moment is what's important. It goes back to the 100/0 principle - if you apply yourself 100% to each person, each task - it could change the world.

Or at least a moment in your child's life.