Bill Spitzer

P & I Coordinator Parenting Resource Center

Is it possible we are halfway through the summer?

With the Fourth of July behind us and the Mower County Fair right around the corner, it appears that the days of summer are getting shorter. Summer is a great time to spend with famil, and I would guess many of you have done just that over the past few weeks. Being present is one of the seven core principles that were adopted as a guiding force for our coalition and something that is very important in our lives.

This past week I had a chance to attend training in Montana and my grown son decided to join me on the trip. We added a couple of days to visit some of the sites around Montana, with Yellowstone being top on our list. We decided to do the whole experience and stay 300 feet from Old Faithful at the Old Faithful Lodge. For those of you that may have been there, you probably shared our experience. The lodge is very old, but nostalgic. From the grand lobby to the huge dining hall, it is truly an experience to enjoy. We settled into our guest room and the first thing we noticed was there was no television. The next thing we observed was the cellphone service was very limited. Finally, we made the call to the front desk to see if WiFi was available anywhere in the building? Answer: No WiFi.

After dinner, we noticed that nearly every seat was taken in the lobby. The lobby is three levels high and easily has room for a hundred people. A man was playing familiar tunes on the violin and the piano for the guests in the lobby. As I looked around, people were talking to each other, playing games and listening to his music. I can honestly say I have not seen so such personal interaction between people in a long time.

Being present in the lives of others is just one simple way we can show we care about their wellbeing. It was interesting when I asked our grown children what they most remember about their childhood.

It was mostly the simple things we did as a family. The barbeque in the park, the bike rides or the holiday family gatherings. Being present is just that! Listening to what others are sharing and sharing our hopes as well as our concerns.  The simple action of being present could help your young person make those good choices in life. How can you be more present in the lives of the people around you?

Bill Spitzer is the Planning and Implementation (P & I) Coordinator working closely with APAC (Austin Positive Action Coalition). APAC and Bill will be working with our schools and community as part of a 5-year grant focusing on Positive Community Norms. Feel free to contact him at the Austin High School 507.460.1800 ext. 0361 or via e-mail bill.spitzer@austin.k12.mn.us. This grant is made possible by the Minnesota Department of Human Services, ADAD and hosted locally by the PRC. To learn more about the Parenting Resource, visit their website at www.familiesandcommunities.org