Stop: In the Name Of Love.

Sometimes it is really hard to stop being busy and spend some actual time playing with your kids or reading together or doing anything where your attention is totally on them.

However, It means the world to them and it is vastly more important than our to-do list.

Moms, I urge you to not just leave it for their Daddies to come home and play with them while you take care of cooking or chores. Carve out some time of your own to play.

Also, if your child has been misbehaving alot lately, you may see a correlation between the bad behaviour and your lack of attention. When put off for too long, they simply act out in desperation. I used to see it in my son. I would find that all it took was some time out from my day to do things with him where we could talk and play and create and laugh together.

With homeschooling you never have to worry about not spending time one on one with them. It is a neccessary part of your day. Even so, I try to take time for more fun things also.

Do you find yourself saying no alot? I don't mean 'No' as in ... 'No' you can't put the cat in the mailbox... or 'No' you can't put your sister in the dishwasher. (those are recommended)

I mean when your child asks... 'Mommy, can you play this game with me?' Or 'Mommy, can we play hide and seek together?' or 'Mama, can you read me this book?'

How many times a day do you say no to special time with your child?

I remember my grandmother being one who took time to just be with me. She raised me. She was fond of reading to me when i was little. She rocked me in her rocking chair. When I was older, we read peacefully to ourselves together on the front porch swing.

I believe it is vitally important in the raising of children, not to be always in a hurry. If your life is simply too full to make this happen, then some things must go.

Simplify, I beg you. This is important.

Here is a pic of my 5 year old at his 'lego station' I often sit and build with him. We got a box of assorted legos from ebay at Christmas and they are awesome to play with. Here is one of my creations...

That being said. I will also say that you must not think that your children require attention 24 hours a day. Children must have time during the day when they guide their own play. I spent more of my childhood coming up with things to do than most children. I had no neighbors, and no siblings and I lived in the woods, far away from anything by way of entertainment. I created my own. I read. ALOT. I taught myself to draw. (Pretty Well, if I do say so myself) I used my imagination. I had time to think.

I think kids today are scheduled to death. I think one of the greatest gifts we can give them is to let them alone a little each day (supervised of course). I may be alone in this conviction, but I think this may be one of the things that has made me how I am.

I meet women who can't be alone. I meet women who can't be satisfied being at home. I meet women who can't be still.
I am not saying there is anything wrong with them, but that maybe they may be lacking something rather helpful in their spirits.

Here's to a little less rushing... a little less running... a little playtime... a little quiet time. A little attention to the blessings that run around our feet... and a little time for them to just be kids.