Last week, I wrote about why it was essential for me to ‘make’ time in the day for my kids. This week, I wanted to write a follow-up to that blog because I fulfilled a commitment I made, and it mattered to my kids and taught me that being present for a few moments is all it takes to create lasting memories.
On Monday, I informed my kids that 4:30-5:00 would be Mommy Time and that we could do anything they wanted. Come 4:30; my kids said, “Alright, mom, it is mommy time now,” and they held me accountable to fulfill my commitment. In all honesty, all I could think about was the mess in the kitchen that I needed to get to right away and the dinner I had to make for them, and I was prepared to make excuses and get out of it. But then I remembered that I intentionally chose to do this for a reason – to be present with them, make them feel special, connect with them at a deeper level, and let them know that no matter how the day went, Mommy loves them and is ready to have some fun.
So I paused in my moment of weakness, put away my excuses, and joined my kids in the family room, where I became Cookie Monster. It is a game I play with the kids where they are cookies, and I, Cookie Monster, catch them and gobble them up. After 15 minutes, they made me Tickle Monster, where I find little kids and tickle them up. We had so many laughs that day that I forgot how quickly the time passed. When Mommy time came to an end, my kids raved about it all evening, and it also made it to the night-time news with daddy at bedtime.
Their excitement was from one 30 min experience they had. It was a small effort on my part, leaving big feelings in their hearts. As parents, we need to be aware of this fact. It is not the big things that matter but the small things that count. Your kids notice that you notice them; they love it when they get compliments in the least expected moment; they love it when you pause in the day to give them a quick hug. My two-year-old, who has become overly chatty, will drop in on me every so often in the middle of his play to say, ‘Hi Mommy.’
Take the time to be present with them in small ways possible. Your daily chores will be there when you come back to it, your work phone ringing after hours can wait, and all other distractions will have to pause for the moment that you choose to be 100% present with your child.
