Jul 18, 2017

Maybe it’s silly that it’s only just occurred to me to do it this way, but lately I’ve been trying to think more consciously about what I wish our days at home together looked like and then work backward from there to make it happen. 

I’ve been focusing especially lately on doing more art/creative projects with the kids. Both Olivia and Felix love painting and drawing and other creative outlets, so aside from it just being better than television (which, let’s be honest, we still watch a lot of), time spent being creative is also quality time spent together, helping them grow and develop their talents and filling their little emotional buckets. 

It turns out that no amount of art will make me a perfect mother, but it sure has been a force for good in our days lately. Today I was cranky and harsh with a certain oldest child about the daily evils of Chewing With One’s Mouth Open and the ever-prevalent Hair In The Face, but I was also surprisingly plesant and patient while we sewed a little drawstring bag for the memory set she drew all by herself. 

Anyway, parenting isn’t measured on a scoreboard and thank goodness for that. But in terms of rating my own days lately, I’d say they’ve been bettered by the endeavor to add in a little more sunshine and joy for my children. It’s amazing how the effort–whether it’s for ten minutes or a whole hour–colors the entire rest of the day and, I both suspect and dread, our entire relationships.