July 12, 2017​

​Since simplifying my life, I am more mindful how my family and I spend our time. I no longer go on auto-pilot or decide to do something just because everyone else is doing it. I find myself spending more time reflecting and researching decisions such as schooling, parenting, etc.

What are we afraid of if our children are not kept busy? What is our definition of busy? Synonyms of busy are demanding, hard and tiring. Is this the way we want our children to spend their childhood?

I love summertime. As a stay at home mom, I value the extra time we have not worrying about commuting back and forth to school or extra projects. We decide how to spend our time. It does not mean that we sit around and do nothing or fill our days with TV and video games. We try to hit these activities each day – outdoor time, free play, reading, spirituality, and thinking about or helping others.

We enjoy participating in activities such as T-ball but do not shuffle them off to activity after activity after activity. Downtime is good for recharging and enjoying the present moment together. Kids always benefit from unstructured play. They practice social skills on each other and use their imaginations to come up with all kinds of storylines and projects.

I don’t want my kids to grow up thinking that they have to jam pack each day to feel successful. I think that is missing the point of this life. I also want them to think and not act impulsively when making decisions.

Some days have more going on than others, but I try to balance it out. I want our home to be a stress-free place that feels safe and comforting. Paying attention to what my children are saying and showing interest in what they like or are doing is just as vital as saying, “I love you.” I think no matter what we do, it is important to say and live up to those words.  

My next post will be on more details of how we are spending our summer break. 

After working on the construction site in the playroom,

it's time to go home for some rest.