"Our children don't care how much money we make, and they don't care what kind of cars we drive. They really care about how much time we're willing to really spend with them."
-Gil Bates
Do you agree with Gil's statement? In this Great Bates Moment, Gil Bates and Josie Bates go out on a father-daughter tennis date. And of course, Gil gets a little teary eyed when Josie talks about how much she enjoys spending time with her dad.
Photo/video courtesy of UP
Ellie, can we please have any updates on Katie, Jackson, Warden, and Isaiah? I don't read anything here about them and wondered whats new in each of their lives,what they like to do for fun, etc! Thanks!
ReplyDeleteThat's how we raised our kids too, but surprisingly when our daughter was 16 she suddenly had different ideas. Our home furnishings were not up to standard to what her friends' parents had. My husband had a good job, but I only worked part-time so I could be home to drive them to their sports, their volunteer activities, and to spend time with them. But she wanted me full-time to buy better furniture. Our ideals did not become her ideals in this competitive world. Now that she's 28, she's very appreciative, but she wasn't at the time. It's good that the Bates kids do not succumb to the pressures out there to "keep up with the Joneses", but maybe that's because there are 19 kids. Perhaps that appreciation of time spent together is fairly typical in large families as opposed to our family of 3 kids.
ReplyDeleteMy daughter hasn't spoken to me in almost a year over money.
DeleteThat's tough, Lisa. I hope everything works out:)
DeleteWell, a large part of that could be attributed to the fact they are all ho.e schooled. They aren't subject to the peer pressure public or formal school kids are. They are taught biblical principles that schools don't teach. It really does make a difference.
DeleteFurniture of all things.
DeleteThis could've been written about me when I was in middle and high school. I fretted over our old vehicle. And my mom would always say, "But you don't know how much debt so and so is in on that new vehicle of theirs." I didn't learn to appreciate my parents lessons on money management and contentment until I got married myself.
I'm sorry to hear that. I know it have to be painful but when she ready she Will know where home is.
Delete10:50- That’s quite an over generalization. My kids went to public school and have never belonged to a church. They are fine, upstanding and we’ll-educated adults. We always emphasized the Golden Rule. They made wonderful friends in high school and college. On the other hand, I’ve known home- schooled kids, and even kids whose parents are in the ministry, who have gone completely off the rails. People are complicated and you can never assume that one path is going to necessarily work for everyone else. Sequestering your kids away from the world, even as adults, can and does backfire.
DeleteThat's so sweet and it's so wonderful Gil is a caring dad and wants to spend time with his young and adult children. And they want to do the same.
ReplyDeleteIt's great that Gil has time to spend with his kids!!!
DeleteEverybody has time we just choose how to spend it.
DeleteThanks for sharing these memories! However, it seems like a lot of the things shared recently have been very old... can we have current updates, please? For example, I know there was recently a bachelorette party attended by the Bates girls that I assume was for Tori. Can you tell us more about that? Thanks.
ReplyDeleteI think TLC and UP coming into the Bateses lives has brought relief to Gil and Kelly. Having some financial freedom is liberating and allows parents to dedicate relaxed time with their children. I can imagine the older children had a different feeling growing up than Josie. The older ones watched their parents struggle; no matter how lovely no they are to you, living poor is hard.
ReplyDeleteI agree it's never about money and always about family and spending time with our children
ReplyDelete