It’s our own fault.
Told you it was quick. Ha ha!
But seriously, Think about it….give it some really good long hard thinking!
WHO signs the kids up for all these activities?
WHO agrees to pick up this or drop off that here and there?
WHO commits, volunteers, over schedules, etc?
Take back your life.
CONSIDER what you are agreeing to before you agree.
(this is where I thought I was done….but get ready this is where it no longer is a quick thought, now I’m thinking out loud and eeks, blogging might be my mental thoughts in type…aka not so private diary!) ha ha!
I recall a time long ago, a friend laughed at me because she noticed in my date book I had a chunk of time blocked off each day that said “RELAX” … I still schedule down time. It’s important! For your soul, your health, your mind, your body, your family, your friends, your kids, your dog, your cat, hamster, bag boy at the market! The world is a better place when you have a little down time!
Think about the kids, they say they are bored, but some of the greatest creations grow out of boredom. Give your kids (and yourself) the chance to do nothing!
That reminds me: I love these two books and HIGHLY suggest them if you have a busy life. And if you can’t slow down enough to read them, you can get one of them on audio which is very handy, a set of ear buds and you’re on your way!
I have actually read both of these several times and I read the children’s book to my kids all the time! They love it because it reminds them of all the things they can do when they have NOTHING TO DO!
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Simplicity Parenting: Using the Extraordinary Power of Less to Raise Calmer, Happier, and More Secure Kids by Kim John Payne |
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Nothing to Do by Douglas Wood |
I ran that ragged race and lost. Everyone who runs it ends up loosing, just depends how long you want to run.
Our lives are at a much slower pace now. (Thanks to HOMESCHOOLING, it’s the best thing we’ve ever done for our family!) And I’m in shock that people don’t think they can slow down. They think it’s not possible. They are WRONG. You can slow down as much as you’d like, it’s entirely up to you.
Our once go go go family, now carves out “quiet time” each day (at least 4 days of the week) where the kids spend an hour in their rooms reading or playing quietly by themselves. And get this….(drum roll please) the kids ASK FOR IT if it’s been a couple of days without it!
We also have two days of the week (sometimes 3 or 4) that we schedule NOTHING. It’s these days I casually get house chores accomplished (or not) kids play and create new games while complaining of boredom, we can stop in the middle of laundry and play a game, read a book together, bake, etc…whatever comes up. And it’s these days my kids love. They remember these days. These are the special times that are missed when you spend 24/7 running here and there and loosing that rat race. What will your kids remember about you? (the back of your head while driving in the car? Your frazzled expressions as you race here and there?)
It’s up to you to make the changes and slow down your world. (for you and for your kiddos)
Own it…it is YOUR fault. Change it…if you want to!
I challenge you to one 24 hour period of scheduling nothing! Doing nothing! And enjoying it! I’d really like to challenge you to a week, but didn’t want to push it…ha ha!
Hectic Peace 