” The Roll of Paper Towel”

I came home from doing a parenting seminar a number of years ago titled The 5 Ps of Raising Responsible Kids trying to explain to a parent that kids are only teenagers for I/4 of their life and adults for 3/4 of their life. The message behind the revelation of your life span was you can have your brothers and sisters as your friends for a lifetime!

The night before I surprised my wife by asking if I could use a roll of paper towels to chart out ones life.  Her response was almost as bizarre as my thought for even taking on a project of this kind. I almost used the entire role as each new idea was born in the construction of “The Personal Time line”.  I divided ones life into 20 year segments each representing 20 years or 1/4 of our life. The personal time line included is from Birth to 80 with comments including how we see our family, interest, values , gifts,  friends, skills and priorities throughout the “Quarters of Life”.  This has been one of the most highly valued lessons of life  I’ve taught over my career. There are over 52 Character Lessons for Life  in my book for pre teens and teens.  This lesson awakens the parent who wants to see their children as life long friends with each other!!

Gene Bedley