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Do you find yourself wishing that you had just a little more time each day? Do you feel pulled between earning a living, your personal projects, managing the demands at home and spending quality time with your family? A hectic life is a reality these days but can get in the way of life’s most precious moments. Suddenly we find ourselves asking where all the time has gone.
Here are 3 little ideas that can magically slow time and help create more family moments that will last forever:
I See You
Everyone wants to know that they’ve been seen, heard and understood Most of all children. You can do all the right things as a parent and yet children can still grow up feeling invisible. Why? Somethings the right things are not always the most important. The key is in connection and one of the best ways to connect is simply through the eyes! Nothing is more enchanting than gazing into your child’s eyes while they tell you the most important story ever!
While it’s not realistic to lock eyes every single time your child has something to say, I use this as a reminder so that I don’t loose myself in the less glamorous aspects of managing the home.
When Liv is talking to me I remind myself to pause, come down to her level and listen to her words and heart. The sparkle in her eyes melts me every time and whatever I was working on is automatically put in it’s proper perspective. Locking eyes with your child helps to build their self worth and it will also bring more joy to these passing windows of time with family.
Axe That Hectic Schedule and Embrace Boredom!
Children need to experience boredom! My father is a private music teacher and each week he teaches children that have their whole week planned out for them. They hustle and bustle, each hour of their “free time” taken up with activities that are supposed to make them into a more well rounded person. He has observed that these children are much more high strung, less forgiving of their own “mistakes” and wary of taking on new challenges and risks. The children are literally vibrating from being over scheduled and I would feel exactly the same way!
Every child should have time to work through boredom on a daily and weekly basis. I believe finding positive ways to work through boredom enhances a child’s creativity and imagination, they learn to appreciate their own company and are less likely to fall into addictive behaviors as teenagers and adults.
There is an art to managing boredom. Things like TV, video games and junk food snacking are obviously off limits! Families who embraces the boredom that naturally evolves from creating an abundance free time will help their children naturally develop life skills that structured classes cannot duplicate.
Go On…Go ahead!
Throw down the dishtowel and rise to the occasion when your child makes another “pot of tea.” Shake your booty to Raffi and let the dust collect for just a few more minutes. Bringing spontaneity to the day is the best way I know how to shake the monotony of another wipe around the table chairs.
For me, being spontaneous is all about asking in the moment “how important ” is the task at hand? Liv is old enough now where I can ask her what she would like to do and I am prepared for her answer. (it’s not too complicated at this age!) Nine time out of ten, my task can wait and I get to have some guilt free fun because I have agreed to be spontaneous. Honestly, I know I benefit the most by loosening up more often!
At the end of the day Liv and I talk about what we did during the day. She always recounts the things we did together, even if only for a few minutes. It’s a nice way to close our days and I feel happy to have stolen back more precious moments in time.
Managing home life, hobbies and work is a work in progress and I’ve sure had my challenges this year. I am beginning to feel like I have a better handle on prioritizing my days, just in time for a new baby!
How do you steal moments from the hectic demands of life? Do you think children are too busy, too bored or too distracted?
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Great points to remember, especially making real connections to our children.
My wife is fond of saying “Only boring people get bored.” I know that it’s easy to get caught up in the hustle of the overstimulated world we live in, and when ‘nothing’ is going on, it can be hard for kids to deal with. When they are forced to be ‘bored’, they get over it and find wonder in small everyday things again.
Cheers!
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