Stop hacking your way through their childhood…

Today I want to talk about how we need to stop ‘hacking’ our way through their childhood (and motherhood), because I catch myself finding ways to make things easier/quicker/better.

There are many hacks in life. We have hacks for packing lunches, hacks for cleaning the house, we even have beauty hacks.   Lets stop for a minute and talk about the non-hacks… the things that we don’t want to ‘cut time from’. The things that need to have more time, less hacking.

Lets stop hacking our way through these things…

1. Reading with your kids.
   
   I will be the first to admit that all too often I will cut out several pages of a book. These books are LONG and some are even (dare I say) BORING.I just try to remind myself that it doesn’t matter all that much if I cut out a few pages, because its not just about the book. Its about the WAY that you are reading them and it is about the love that you are instilling in your child. A love for reading and a love for you. The bond that you have created can not be taken away. Stop ‘hacking’ your way through this moment.

   2. Playing a game.
   
   Clue (the board game). Our kids LOVE clue.  (I personally love the game QWunder- in the picture above)  Anyway- my husband and I will often secretly share our answers with each other  or “accidentally” let the kids see a card that we have picked up to allow the game to move along a little quicker.

   I know its not what they want, but when these games drag out for an hour and our 7:00 bedtime has gone by with the kids still up, we do these little ‘hacks’.  Last week, we talked about how we are going to stop doing this and just enjoy them!
   Just enjoy this time.   How long with they want to sit & play Clue with their mom and dad on a Friday night?   Maybe not long, but today- they want to. Stop hacking your way through moments like this.

   3. Bedtime.
   
   Ahh… the many tricks to helping your kids go to sleep sooner. I can’t deny that we have tried many (and posted about many) because sleep is so very important. “Hurry up!  Everyone to their rooms as quick as you can.  The first 4 kids win!”  Ps- we only have 4 kids, so they all win.  haha!
   I also want to be sure that you know just how important those moments of lying down with your child can be… how special those one-on-one times are and will continue to be. Stop hacking your way through moments like this.

   4. Cooking
   
   I can remember being young and baking these cookies with my mom. I loved it! Eating the batter and then trying to get every last bit out of the bowl before she washed it.

   Then along came the days of “slice and bake” cookies.   What an AMAZING hack, right?!   While this is certainly a time-saver, try to remember the moments that you spent baking and re-live those moments with your children. Our kids love to bake with me- they don’t care what it is: brownies, cookies, breads.   Let them enjoy spending this time with you.

   Stop hacking your way through moments like this.

   5. Pretend Play
   
   How many times have you dressed up in a costume, or your wedding dress, or a pirate outfit, or even just an apron (to pretend be a chef)?
   How many times have you pretended to be a fairy princess or a handsome prince this week?
   Have you been a character from a favorite book this week?
   Your kids want you to do this (& they want to do it, too)!

    
   Try making a spy kit or building a fort with your child…. even an igloo or a dinosaur out of toilet paper rolls!  Stop hacking your way through moments like this.

   Our children are our blessings, as my husband wrote.   Lets stop ‘hacking’ our way through these special moments with them- lets help them make MEMORIES! 

   They will not remember their favorite day of TV… but they will remember their favorite day playing with YOU.
   

   MORE POSTS YOU MIGHT LIKE: