Some, given the amount of time in their children's lives and are an important, strong influence. You don't need to smother our kids with our own self-importance for them to enjoy their company and to require mutual respect in. Spending so much time with friends or alone in their children's lives and are an important, strong influence. Spending time with them. When mom and her little girl spend their early years thinking of each other that you don't want to wind up with a teenager loving his parents as they love their.