Unplugged Moments: The Power of Presence in a Busy World

by: Peter A. Lassiter

A few nights ago, our house was full—all of us gathered together watching a show as a family—when, without warning, the power went out.

It wasn’t quite bedtime yet, so instead of calling it a night, we lit a few candles, sat down in the quiet, and opened a book. It was the next installment of a book series we had rediscovered as an audiobook on a family road trip a week or so ago. 

I can give you the statistics of why you should read to your kids: 

-Regular reading to children is associated with 37% reduction in aggressive and problem behaviors in preschoolers;

-Children who are read to at least 3x a week by a family member are twice as likely to score in the top 25% in reading comprehension scores;

-Currently only about 17% of 13yr old report they read for fun;

-65% of 4th Graders do not read at a proficient level; 

-Books contain 50% more words than children are exposed to on TV or videogames; etc. 

However, that night it was more than a statistic, more than storytelling- its connection. With the power out and the house hushed, and we enjoyed the hardest thing ever to come by with your kids- time. 

Without realizing it, we had created something deeply meaningful—something screens can’t replicate. It was simple, it was quiet, and it was real. That spark of imagination, the fire of dreaming or being a silly heart in a faraway land. There’s a quiet kind of magic in reading to your children.

The magic is not complicated- it’s the warmth of a parent’s voice, the wonder in a child’s question, and the shared pause when everyone leans in to hear what happens next. It’s empathy, imagination, patience—all built without a lesson plan.

As a parent, these moments are everything. And as a judge, they serve as a powerful reminder: nothing is more irreplaceable than the time we spend with our children.

It’s easy to get caught up in the demands of a career, a campaign, or community responsibilities. But in the end, it’s those small, quiet moments—bedtime stories, shared jokes, a few pages read by candlelight—that leave the biggest impact. In a world that moves fast and is filled with distractions, we need to protect this kind of time—not just as parents, but as a society. Because how we raise our children, how we listen to them, and how we prioritize them says everything about our values.

So if you’re looking for something simple to bring your family closer, try what worked for us: a book, a story, a moment to unplug.

You don’t need a power outage to create lasting memories. You just need a little time, a little presence—and the willingness to take the time.

Picture credit: Mirage Photography. Peter has always loved the story It's a Wonderful Life. During his deployment in 2020/2021, he read this story to our children over the video chat. They heard his voice, remembered the familiar film that was now illustrated and enjoyed. In the family photo we gathered around Peter to look at this story we have read many times and we remember how we feel so connected to him and to eachother when we share in this story and its message. (caption written by Julie Lassiter).