You could b thinking I’m talking about money , nah… That’s made to be spent, bills, kids , house, taxes, debt, holidays, online shopping whatever your heart desires. Me personally I have f**k all of it so most of these apply to me 😜
We all want the nice car, the new tv, the holiday and the bigger house.
I’m talking about time.
On the important stuff, like the off spring.
Don’t be that mum, dad, grandparent that misses out by being ‘too busy’.
Key word ….’Prioritise’
I’m no model parent that’s for sure, I feed my kids way too much noodles and pies and we all know they are all f**ken terrible -but this is my insight while not being able to sleep and having a wee writing spell at 135am. Jesus I better set multiple alarms to get up for work 😂
We all get distracted with everyday life, my distraction is my phone -it goes everywhere with me. And work. And tea time. And homework. And school runs. And whatever else pops up.
I’m most certainly guilty of slipping into a ‘scrolling coma’ in fact so much so Arlie (4) can confidently pick up any device and take a selfie, she is on her way to being a you tube addict and with no exaggeration was one click away from purchasing a $1200 bbq of trade me last week!
Our kids are only this age once.
Once In a life time they get to be ‘young’ and ‘free’ so why do we not make the most of it.
Let’s be truthful, majority of the time most of us parental units function on auto pilot and just try get through the day completing all tasks that are required to keep them breathing while avoiding a mental breakdown and/or smudged food stains on our clothes. And at the end of hard week would be more than happy for someone to come and whisk our ‘Angels’ away for a period of time long enough for us to brush our hair, relax in our clean, quiet house and enjoy a glass of wine….or 7.
We get wrapped up in the house cleaning, work, sports, and everything in between. We should be seizing every opportunity we can to break away and create unforgettable memories.
admittedly technology is a big distraction for a lot of kids. Mine included and believe me there is no judgement on my part when you chose PlayStation, tv, or an iPad as your babysitter for that much needed silence. All three of my minions, Aspen (13) and Aijah (9) and Arlie (4) enjoy these as pass times, but are equally satisfied by walking to the estuary and hunting crabs or sitting down colouring in and having a casual conversation.
I have noticed when I do have the rare chance for one on one with any of my kids they are so interesting -and interested, in what they are doing and also interested in me.
I get a really mature, thoughtful and grown up discussion with Aspen, we can yarn for ages about what he’s up to and what’s happening for him… Usually we communicate with one sided yelling and grunting responses. P.s. -I’m the yeller lol.
Aijah becomes involved and confident and proves she is not so different from her big brother by cracking jokes and putting in a show… She’s a nurturer, caring and compassionate.
Arlie, well when she isn’t spitting, biting, screaming or hitting anybody she is exposing her intelligence, she wows me at how much a small child’s brain develops and contains…. Again this is in between tantrums and being sent to the corner where naughty kids go 👊🏼 #darkdevil
On the daily we constantly pick up the mess as they follow undoing any real progress you have just made. They scream, they squeal, they yell. There is banging and thudding as you are drowned in everlasting white noise and are forced to share your toilet breaks with 1+ children requiring you to put on their mismatched socks and asking pointless, unimportant questions. You sit and think you really must get that bathroom lock fixed so you can have your 3 minutes of well earned peace, when in reality if you were to fix it they would just bang on the door or scream the pointless unimportant questions through the wooden door 😫💩
Sometimes I sit watching all 3 play fight, I wince every time there is a cry or yell just waiting for a broken bone, I watch Aspen get spear tackled by Aijah as she goes into her ‘rhino mode’ poor boy has no chance. Arlie follows suit and just runs until she hits something or some one.
99% of the time I get mad and say the typical ‘someone’s going to end up hurt’ as they completely ignore me…
Until someone does get hurt of course. #mumknowsbest
But on that 1% I sit back and admire what they are doing. Yeah it’s just play fighting, but it’s the type of thing they will talk about when they are older, and so be it utter chaos, it’s spending time together.
Before we know it they won’t be here, the car won’t matter, the Tv will still play the same shows, the house will be empty, tidy and quiet because they will be grown up and gone.
Just a bit of perspective.
They won’t stay young, they won’t want to go looking for crabs or colour in or hopefully won’t want to spit, bite or hit me. They will be gone.
Or we will be gone.
So I intend on spending the best currency I have while I have it.
Time.