Learning

Recharge and Renew

I must admit, I love the quiet laid-back days of summer and it makes me sad as summer winds down and the business and business of living fills our lives once again.

Like most parents, I am challenged each fall to think about how I will balance my children’s activities and their needs with the demands of my work, as well as my own need for self-care and self-reflection.

It’s hard to do it all and find the right balance for me and for my family. In talking to other parents they have shared that their lives are very much like being on a treadmill, struggling to catch their breath, without the down time they crave and know they need in order to thrive.

And guess what? If you feel like you’re on a treadmill, you can bet your child feels that way too. In today’s hustle and bustle, it has become even more challenging for kids to find time to just hang out, relax or even be bored; something we took for granted when we were kids.

What research has found is that children who are this busy are more likely to be exhausted, stressed out, anxious, and even depressed as they get older. They may feel a sense of external pressure to do and be MORE, leaving them with a feeling that they are not enough as they are. In addition, they often have little time to explore, create, and develop their internal strengths and talents.

Children, just like adults, crave down time. It is important that they have those moments of peace, calm and time for connection with themselves and with others. It has been proven also that children also learn better when they have a chance to reflect, recharge and renew.

The new school year is a wonderful opportunity for you and your family to reflect on what’s working and what’s not, and to renew a commitment to creating time and space in spite of the hustle and bustle of daily life.

Here are a few tips to help as you work to find that sense of balance and peace for yourself and for your family:

  1. Inoculate yourself and your children against the pressure to do more and be better. The sooner you realize that you don’t have to be a perfect parent, the better of you and your family will be.
  2. Step back and look at yourself through your child’s eyes. What are they seeing and learning through your actions? Is this aligned with what you want to be teaching them?
  3. Schedule down time. In our modern-day lives, it’s not uncommon for children and families to be busy every minute of the day. Make an appointment each week and put it on the calendar to stop and renew.
  4. Try to have family dinners at least 3 times a week. I know, I know...between everyone’s schedules, this can feel really challenging, yet study after study shows its powerful impact on emotional and physical health.
  5. Children need CONNECTION — true, honest-to-goodness, eye-to-eye connection with you. Math and science are important but you are essential. If you’re feeling overwhelmed and disconnected, and are seeing the repercussions in your children, you are better off ordering a pizza, skipping homework, and spending valuable, quality time with your family. THIS will set their brain up for success!
  6. Take time each day to connect with yourself and your inner wisdom. Pause, take a few deep breaths, and go inside. Listen to your intuition and allow it to guide you in your parenting and in your own self-care.

When carpools and soccer and overflowing schedules threaten to take over your life, you are not fully able to experience the aliveness and beauty that is right here, right now, in front of you. When looking back on their childhood, your children will cherish most the time they had to truly connect with you, the rituals that made them feel like part of a family unit, and the moments that reminded them how special they were in their parents eyes.