Be present with your beautiful child who is right in front of you. -Jes Rosenberg
Children are not a distraction from more important work. They are the most important work. -C.S. Lewis
The most important work you will ever do will be within the walls of your own Home. -Harold B. Lee
As my boys have gotten older, I’ve really felt the need to be more present in their presence. I’ve really tried to make a conscious effort to spend less time on my phone or doing other things that will distract me from their attention; because honestly, I see so many who do this and it breaks my heart for the children who are present…but they are not at all in their presence. I feel so sad when I see their little eyes yearning for attention to be seen.
I don’t know about you, but I sometimes miss the days of “snail mail” as they now call it. People used to actually take the time to sit down and write a hand written letter. My grandparents passed away several years ago, but I still have many of the letters that they wrote to me as a little girl. How special those memories are!
And now, we have graduated to the days of technology where everything is instant, and at our fingertips. When I was growing up, “smart phones” didn’t even exist! Haha We had actual house phones! Does anyone even have those anymore?! ☎️ We didn’t have Skype or FaceTime, so if we wanted to see friends or family, we had to actually get in the car and drive to see them in person!
I’m not that old, but things have changed so much since I was a child! But….I never remember either of my parents ever being too busy with a phone to spend quality time with me. I have the best memories of the things we did together! And those are the same kind of memories that I want my boys to have when they become adults.
With all of that being said, technology has robbed us of those personal touches, adult conversations, but more importantly, it has also taken away precious time with our children. I’m speaking for myself. It’s so easy to spend an hour (or two!) scrolling through news feeds, etc without even realizing it! (Guilty as charged!)
Years from now, I don’t want my boys to look back and remember their mom as always being distracted by a phone or something else. Maybe it’s not technology. Maybe it’s a “hobby” or “thing” that takes up too much of our time away from our children. However, I have really noticed an epidemic of the phone becoming a problem! Go to a restaurant and just watch!
These precious childhood years, we will never get back. They grow up so quickly!! I want to savor and enjoy each and every moment with them…I don’t want to miss seeing excitement in their little eyes as they tell me about a special part of their day, or miss watching their smiling faces as they proudly bring me a flower that they have picked for me, etc because I’m too consumed with a screen or something else in front of me. I want to make the most of their childhood years at home, and create a safe haven for them. You may not think that spending quality time together makes a difference, but I can assure you that it does!
Don’t get me wrong, it’s still very important to have your own time every once in a while! Everyone needs a break and a time to reset and refresh!! (Even if its just going to the grocery store by yourself!) Haha 😂 (If you’re a mom reading this, then you get what I’m saying!) I also love getting together with my friends that are also moms. Everyone needs a support team, and I’m so thankful for mine! (You know who you are!)
And NO!! I’m not saying that having a smart phone or technology is wrong. That isn’t it at all. I have a smart phone, and almost everyone I know has one also! I also have several social media apps, Pinterest, and a blog! Haha That isn’t my point. My point is…don’t let it consume you!
There’s so many fun activities that aren’t costly that you can do with your children! It doesn’t really matter what you do, as long as you’re doing it together!
Spending valuable time together now is the memories that they will cherish later as adults!
Go to a local park and let them play
Let them help you make dinner or a dessert
Show them pictures from your childhood. (They will especially laugh at some of your old photos!)
Camp out in the backyard, or camp out in the living room!
Play board games (My boys especially love this!)
Watch a movie together
Have a coloring contest
Go on individual dates with your children….one on one time is important too!
Go on a hike
Play hide-and-seek
Make a campfire and roast s’mores
Go swimming together during the Summer
Make a craft
Visit extended family
Do volunteer work
Go on spur-of-the-moment road trips
Be creative and do something you’ve never done before! The sky is the limit!
***I do not like reading negative posts, nor do I post them, so I do not want to come across as a Debbie Downer…but I really believe this is a real issue that we are dealing with, and I just wanted to share a little on this subject from my perspective of being present in your little ones lives. Being a mom or dad isn’t a burden. It’s a privilege…our children are our greatest investments!! ❤️
Disclaimer: I do not have reference to anyone who uses their phone for their job. I realize that we have to make a living for our families and children. 😘
I agree MOMMA!! as a homeschooling, work at home mom, I still have to remind myself to stay present. I don’t do social media but might have to for my job and I find that anxious feeling coming up with questions of my being present. i know that I certainly try and I know that there are days I allow more entertainment than other times. I also know that most moms struggle with this because we can’t freely let our kids roam like we did when we were younger. There is a balance that can be difficult to find. But it is so so necessary to address so that you don’t look back and wish differently. OH THE STRUGGLE!!
Doing our best is all we can do! ❤️