“Letting go of the distractions in your life to find what really matters!”
I finished this book and I would highly recommend it. It’s about putting down the phone and being present with the ones we love. It’s about living our lives for today and not for the past or “someday.” I find myself being very mad at time for going by so quickly. I want time to S-L-O-W down for the love! Instead, I will continue to work on ways to help make the time I have with my loved ones more meaningful.
The author writes very well. I found myself crying a few times. Maybe because her words were so true and the truth hurts. I know I am tempted with technology and I worry I will look back in a few years and feel like I missed out on something because I was so obsessed with technology. But the truth can also set you free and I am making some changes in my routines so that my children don’t remember mama as mama with her phone in her hands all the time. I am all about being the best me I can be. That doesn’t mean striving for perfection, it doesn’t mean doing more. It means acknowledging when there needs to be a change, working on it and forgiving myself for whatever regret I am harboring.
Find out more about the book here.
Watch a video interview with the author here (I like the third interview).
Then hurry up and grab yourself a copy of this book here!
Here are a few changes I am making in parenting and in my life in general after reading the book.
- Go hands free for a specific time of day. From the time my kids wake up until they have their tv time, during the nap time process of reading books, when kids come home from school and from dinner to bedtime.
- Let go of other distractions like ridiculous television shows I sometimes watch for no reason and could be doing something I enjoy like reading.
- Impact the world with kindness. I have already been working on this but for so long I have wanted to volunteer at a hospital so this week I interviewed and am beginning the process to becoming a family support volunteer. I will be available to a few new moms for three months after they deliver their babies to answer questions and offer support. Part of being hands free is not overcommiting yourself. This is a way I can volunteer from my home without overcommiting myself and taking time away from my family (as I will be scheduling calls when my family does not need me)
- The moment of impact–when the going gets tough parenting, take a moment to pause before reacting and impacting your child’s life in possibly a negative way.
- Use “I love to watch you _____” when talking to my kids.
- Allow my children to tell me how they are feeling rather than me dismissing their feelings.
- Stop rushing my kids. I am getting better about being on time but “Hurry Up” is still in my vocabulary. I want to get rid of it!
- Become fully emerged in the passions of a loved one-last summer I used the excuse of being pregnant to sit on the dock and watch Dave swim with the kids. This summer I want to be in the water basking in the fun instead of sitting on the sidelines!
And I am going to toot my own horn because there were several suggestions that are already in place in our family! There is no right or wrong in parenting but I found I need to have goals for myself to work on as a parent or I drown in guilt that I am not doing my best. How do I hold myself accountable? I share what my plans are with others and make it public! So above are my goals and below are things the book mentioned that we already have in place.
- Involving my kids in household chores and activities that we can do together like folding laundry.
- Including my kids in charity work that we do.
- Come as you are! I feel I am my authentic self–I’m not afraid to show up at the gym fresh out of bed with sleep marks on my face sans makeup!
- Speak your pain-I am honest with my friends and I tell them when and what I am struggling with. I am not afraid to be seen as someone who can’t do it all and who struggles in her role as a parent. Thank you to Holly and Danielle who are the sounding boards for most of my worries and troubles!
- Find your anchor-This is something in your house that reminds you of what’s important. I have a magnetic board in our kitchen that has pictures and quotes I love on it that I look at everyday. My favorite on the board? The Parenting Manifesto by Brene Brown.
- Engage in Do Nothing Moments. This usually happens before nap time when we lay and read books or when I watch the kids play in their playroom without doing anything else.
- Give a proper goodbye-This was part of my happiness project a few years ago. When Dave leaves and comes home, we stop what we are doing (most of the time) to greet him.
- Have a family tradition like “Cherry-Pit” where we talk about something good and bad from our day at the dinner table.
- Show and Tell-sit down with my children when they come home from school for show and tell from their backpacks.