Happy Thanksgiving, and welcome to the Holiday Season! This is one of my favorite times of year! I enjoy the lights and the anticipation of yummy meals, family and friends. This time of year also comes with a bit more stress, as we add more activities and obligations to our already busy lives. Suddenly, deadlines are in front of us (Christmas morning) and we wonder where the time has gone.
Do you know what a glass bottom boat is? It is a boat that allows you to see everything underneath … the fish and other sea life, plants, rocks, etc. Beautiful! Now, imagine you are in that same glass bottom boat, but your boat is moving 50 miles per hour. What can you see? Nothing. It’s a big blur. That’s how our lives are when they get super busy, one big blur.
When I notice we are seeing a lot of blur in our house, I find myself wondering how we can get back to that peaceful place of looking through the glass and seeing all of that beautiful and interesting life below the surface. The only answer I have found is to slow down
In our home, we have two high schoolers. High school is fast-paced for sure! Plus, we have one learning to drive, and we are exploring college ideas. If the only job a parent has is their children, that would be a full plate already. But, it’s not. Parents are also working, cleaning, cooking, washing, organizing, planning, teaching, nursing, taxiing, and much more. That’s a lot to do! And, single parents have double duty! How do we slow down?
Whether your children are newborns, school-age, just launched, or adults, it is never too early or too late to start looking at life through the glass bottom boat. You just need to turn the engine key to off, stop moving, and take a break. Even if it’s 30 minutes a day, where you and your children sit and talk about the details of life, the up’s and down’s, high’s and low’s, happy and sad moments. Those will be the “Kodak moments” you and your children will remember later in life; the time you took to breathe, to enjoy, to care. That is how you enjoy the journey and build a lifelong relationship … one day and one choice at a time.
I’m as guilty as anyone at suddenly realizing we are on the treadmill of life again. We all do it. I’m still learning to build in the break times, to have hard stops for important things, and to prioritize. Every year it will change, because every year you and your family change. Thanksgiving is a great time to reflect and re-evaluate your family’s pace, the results, and how you want to adjust for next year. You will be glad you did. Happy Thanksgiving!
Traci Carman is Founder and CEO of A Loving Way ~ How You Parent Makes a Difference. She is known for her practical and intuitive parenting style, and can be reached for consultation at 951-240-1407 or tracicarman@alovingway.com. Visit her website at alovingway.com