Making the Most of Your Time
Busy Just to be Busy?
October 29, 2018
Are we making the most of the time we have to raise our children? It is fleeting. And it is easily stolen by outside influences. We can choose to slow down and spend the time necessary to raise our children. It is an important job that no one else can do as well as we can if we apply ourselves.
We tend to live as if everyone outside of our family is more important. Neighbors, homeschool functions, co-ops, field trips, classes, sports - a lot of activities compete for our time. Many of which eat away the quiet time our children need. And too much noise drowns out our voice as a parent.
After the birth of our fourth, my status as a volunteer at church disappeared. I wanted to do something more than just show up on Sunday morning. So, on a weekly basis, I began to help provide individually wrapped desserts for the football team of the Christian school associated with our church. These deserts were also provided for the opposing team and various coaches and staff members. Around 75 people in all.
I thought it was perfect. It was simple and could be done from home with my kids running around. Some of you are now laughing at my ignorance. It took Thursday and part of Friday to complete and deliver the deserts. I stressed out. I mostly ignored the kids and shooed them out of the way. And homeschooling did not get done.
Once I found other people to take it over, I said goodby to individually wrapped deserts. Instead I made the occasional meal for a sick family. It fit much better around my primary role as a parent and homeschooler.
Being too busy is not good for a family (even a Flexible Homeschool Family). Our culture applies constant pressure to to be involved with one amazing activity after another. They may indeed be good activities, but sign up for all of them and you’ll be too tired to tell. We should be careful not to trade away our families for “good activities.”
Of course there are many things you can do together as a family, but relaxed, unplanned time around the house is great for you and your children. It builds their imagination and personal initiative. Soon enough they will be volunteering for activities on their own and family time at home will fade away naturally. Don’t trade it away prematurely.
