Our schedules are so regulated right now. I remember last summer looking forward to heading back to a normal school schedule so that there was some consistency but now I feel caught in the monotony of the everyday schedule. Mike and I wake up early, rush, eat, brush, change, school, work, forgot to eat lunch, hurry, have to get the kids.
Then what do you do when the kids come home every day at 2:30 and they’re really tired and hungry and cranky, and maybe we are, too. I think the first reaction, at least mine sometimes, is to give them a cup of goldfish, a juice box, and sit them in front of the television. They need rest right? But there are other options.
I’m not going to write some preachy essay about how your kids should never watch TV because I am as guilty as anyone of succumbing to just turning on a movie sometimes when I’ve hit the wall. What I would like to remind all of us, including myself, is that there are so many other things we can do with our kids and our time than sitting in front of the TV or video games, even if they are interactive.
So here are some quick reminders for that really hard, sometimes unbearable afternoon time:
- Blueberries are as easy to eat as fruit snacks – and what a cool color of food to get to eat!
- Carrots always seem more enticing with a little dip, ranch or peanut butter…and take time to eat. Pretend to be rabbits.
- Sitting under the trees and making up stories about what the leaves talk about can waste a lot of time and does not take much energy.
- If you are tired, just direct your kids around the yard or the park and they can find ways to stay busy.
- Down time and rest time can also include just cuddling and watching the clouds go by – and maybe bringing back that old game of recognizing shapes in them.
Sometimes we have to slow ourselves and our brains down to enjoy the down times with our kids. Take a couple deep breaths and enjoy the slow times if you can instead of letting them chill in front of the TV with a salt and carb heavy snack.
