I always try my best to divide my days so I have time to spend with my children. Often times, I feel pulled between work and the children because I have to get work done, but I also feel responsible for spending time with them. This pulling feeling can turn into aggravation, as I feel like I can’t do it all.
Yesterday, I put all of my work to the side, and spent the entire day with my husband and children. I didn’t work at all and just concentrated on them. It was very freeing to do that.
I didn’t feel like I was being pulled from one side to the other. And, for that reason, I had a really good time. I think it will be a time that I will remember forever, actually.
That made me think about something important about the times I spend with my kids. I typically spend time with them each day to check the box. I want to be able to say to myself that I spent time with them, so I don’t feel guilty, but the whole time I think about how I am neglecting work. That’s not quality time, it’s just fulfilling a quota.
Quality time is what I spent yesterday with them. They were my only focus. I was playing with them, instead of them playing with me. I laughed, engaged with them, and really had fun. Since I had fun, they had fun, and we all just created a great new memory.
This is what family time is all about. It’s not so much about how much time you spend, it’s the quality of time you spend. Of course, you need to spend the time to get quality time. I can’t say I won’t stop spending the daily time with them, because I do feel they need that. I am just saying that I want to spend more quality time with them. I love memories, and I want many of them in my life so I have many to look back on someday.
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