Family Night

Some people have asked why Jeff & I are so busy on the nights we have the kids (basically Saturday-Tuesday). Well, Jeff happens to be the kind of father who actually engages his children--constantly--and I'm roped into doing that, too. My friends know not to call Monday and Tuesday nights unless I have a women's meeting through church. From the moment the kids walk in the door, they consume our world. We have dinner together, clean up, do homework, play games, have dessert, Max reads, we have family devotionals, the kids recite their monthly Bible verse, and it takes me 45 minutes to tuck Laney into bed. She's always asking me for stories. It's exhausting.
Anyway, the other night, Laney got into a little trouble for talking back. Defiance is becoming more of a common theme in our home. It's the tween phase. I'm dreading the teen years. Laney doesn't want to do chores. She also doesn't enjoy family night as much anymore.
"I just want to play, I don't want to do chores. And why do we have to do everything together all the time?" she asked. "My mom leaves us alone and we play with friends or watch TV and do whatever we want. But we always play games when we're with you."
Jeff responded, "We're a family and families do things together. Besides, we only see you half the week."
"But I only see my friends here half the week, too," said Laney.
I told her, "You're lucky to have a dad who actually wants to spend time with you and loves you. One day you'll appreciate it."
Laney wants her own phone line, she wants more free time, she wants cable TV and could it please be hooked up to her room? I think it's interesting to see how kids evolve into wanting their independence. I think it's moderately healthy. And we do give her plenty of lee-way to spend time with friends and enjoy quiet time alone, especially on the weekends. But Jeff is insistent on spending quantity and quality time with them, especially when they're young, no matter how they feel about it! And I love that about him. Most people I know buy cable to have the television baby-sit their kids.