Starting The Day Off Right

I don’t know that I have ever been more ready for summer than this year.  Bring it on I say.  I loved this winter too, but there was one certain tradition that we had begun at the end of last summer that I have missed dearly.  It made our days go much better, the kids were not so restless, and I felt a little more balanced.  Without it I have found myself falling back into some old bad habits that definitely do not encourage any of those.

At the beginning of last summer I had it in my head that if I started my day on the computer, that would leave me the rest of the day to do other things.  I tried to give myself one hour, but of course that usually turned into two….sometimes more.  I usually found that no matter how long I’d spent the rest of the day was a scramble.  Have to get the kids out to play – but now it’s too hot out, even the slides at the park are scorching.  What are we having for dinner?  The house is torn apart!  Why are the kids sooooo naughty!

By mid summer I had finally realized it was just not a great way to start the day.  I needed to start it in my real life, not my online life. Don’t get me wrong, I love my online life, but that is the very problem, sometimes I love it too much!  Once I implemented that idea, our whole days were transformed.  The kids behaved better, they weren’t having to compete for my attention, which in turn made me behave better.  We all had much more patience with each other.

The idea is to start the day doing something pleasant, focusing on the children, something for yourself, and getting something done in the house before getting on the computer, or doing anything else that requires your undivided attention.  If you work outside the home this can just be applied to when you get home.  It doesn’t have to be long, or anything extravagant – just something that only involves you and your family interacting the old fashioned way.

For me it meant getting out of the house.  When you stay at home it is amazing how you can find by the end of the day how little time you spend outside, and my kids are completely different creatures when they have spent the entire day inside.  For you it may be piling on the floor and reading some books, scripture study, or just dancing together for thirty minutes to some fun music. Do what works for your family, but just in case your looking for inspiration I will share my routine, then maybe you will share yours?

{image via}

Breakfast In The Park

First thing in the morning I would get everyone dressed, pack a light breakfast, and throw the kids in the stroller.  I would take the long way to the park – getting in the something for me part, exercise.  We would lay a blanket down under our favorite tree, eat our muffins, or whatever it was we had and then play.  Sometimes I took a magazine and flipped through its pages, it was lovely, mmmm I am daydreaming now.  We usually spent an hour then headed home.  When we got home I would set them up to the table with something to do and plan dinner.  If we had to go to the store I would try and do it now.  Then I would try and clean the house up, and have the kids “help” if they wanted, or just let them play.  After we were done with all of this it was usually time for naps.  I would put them down and then take out my computer and do my thing, without a flinch of guilt.  It felt great knowing that I had spent quality time with my kids, the house had been tended to, and dinner was at least thought of.  The rest of the day we would just do our thing whatever it was that day.

Of course not every day worked out that way, but there was a drastic difference in the days we had breakfast in the park, and the days we didn’t…huge.  Now that my son is not napping so much there may be a little hiccup in my plans, but really after spending the entire first half of the day like that, I see nothing wrong with expecting him to entertain himself for a while, or watch a little show.  Nope, I am not above that.

I hope this gave you an idea of how to kick your day off, and I know it wouldn’t work for everyone, but if you find your days getting a little out of control something like this might help.  You may wonder what I did this winter…well first I referred to this list a lot, but like I said – I have fallen back into some old bad habits and am looking forward to getting back to the park.

Okay, I gave you my ideal day, now what is yours?  I would love to know what all of you do to keep your day balanced.  Do you have older kids?  Do you work?  How do you do it?  I will find myself there one day and need the ideas!