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Today, my friend Keri is sharing a story that I think we all need to remember. It’s a story about simplicity and how it’s the little things that mean a lot. We don’t need elaborate ideas or lesson plans or plans. Just simple things that turn into strong memories & lessons for our kids.
“Sometimes, I realize that I am overthinking parenting. Without even meaning to I over plan and over analyze everything. I schedule moments for learning opportunities and try to cram in constant knowledge into my kids.
In a way, I started to believe that the only time my kids will learn anything is if there is a planned activity with a lesson. Even typing that sentence out makes me realize the intensity of it all.
However, a few weeks ago, I saw my kids learn something through a very simple activity.
The day before Memorial Day, my husband was telling our boys about what Memorial Day was. He suggested they could make thank you cards for our neighbor who served in the Navy. The boys loved the idea and quickly brought out their paper, crayons, and my oldest researched what a submarine would look like. I watched them spend thirty minutes crafting thank you cards.
The next day, we headed over to our neighbor’s house to drop off the cards. We were greeted with teary eyes and such gratitude. My normally energized boys were in awe of the moment.
As we talked about it later with them, I saw the meaning of the moment sink deep into them. Little life lessons had been imprinted on them in the passing of their homemade cards.
Without intending to, they learned in a practical way how to think of others. They learned how to say thank you and they learned how to honor others. It was unexpected and beautiful.
It was a spur of the moment idea. There was nothing planned or curated by Pinterest. Instead, it was a simple idea that produced deep lessons for my boys.
The more I think about the cards, the more I realize how many lessons can be learned in these simple ways. While it is good to have the planned Pinterest curated moments, there is something unique about those unplanned moments of learning.
While I will always love my plans, I am determined to hold them with a looser grasp because sometimes when I am overthinking parenting, I am missing out on the moments right in front of my eyes.”
