Be Present

When my first daughter was born, my grandmother told me to "Be present in your children's lives. Talk to them, listen to them, and create experiences that they will remember." At the time, with an infant demanding my constant attention, it seemed like a no-brainer. As my children grew older and more self-sufficient, I've discovered that it is all too easy let a day slip by where I'm absorbed in my own tasks and don't take the time to spend a non-rushed block of time just hanging with my kids. I keep her advice in mind, especially since I have a tendency to hop online or pick up a book when there's any down time.

I force myself to step outside of the daily routine, which can easily become consuming, and carve out special time with the kids. On Monday of this week, instead of picking the kids up from school and heading home, I packed their after-school snacks into little wicker baskets and drove down to the river. We munched and chatted on the riverbank, enjoying the last of the autumn leaves and an unusually warm afternoon. There was plenty of time for homework and laundry when we got home.