COUSIN MOMS â—½ TIPS
Every parent knows that if family time isn’t scheduled and protected…it slips away and gets covered up in the busyness, once school is back in session. Games begin, homework takes time, carpooling to and from practices eats up evenings spent around the table, and before we know it – we haven’t spent time as a family just enjoying each other and life. So we asked the moms this month, “How do you protect this family time and make it happen?” Here are their thoughts:
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Kamrin
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Family time for us, as the kids have gotten older, has gotten harder and harder. Between school, activities and sports, it’s hard to balance our time. We will have two in middle school this fall, and one in 4th grade, a major shift! We are also entering a big season of faith for our family. It’s hard to know when to say yes, and when to say no. I don’t like to keep the kids from friends and activities, so…did I say it’s hard?
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​I had an extra job this past year, but it wore on me mentally and physically, and we were gone all the time and busy. It hardly left room for family time. I am now not
going back to full time this fall, and it’s hard financially. But freedom to be here as a mom, taking care of my home, was needed. This means this fall at 4pm we are both done with work and chores, when the kids are out of school.
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Many say work out of the home, and more money is necessary, and that’s good for those for whom it works. I love that freedom. But for me, I’m a better mom and parent, and we have more family time, when I’m home while they’re at school.
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Typically, Sundays are our family days. It’s our protected time. However, youth group is now on Sunday evenings, so this will shift this fall. Football and cheer will be on our calendars, too. So once school starts, we will work on family time!
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As of now, I think Friday nights will be important for us – family movie night. We used to do this years ago. It’s popcorn and treats night, as well. Also, we are trying to have quality time, as the quantity decreases as the kids grow.
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Multitasking as a mom, for me, doesn’t really work. I want quality time with my kids and as a family. Quantity is great, but I want to really know my kids and my family. It’s the same in our marriage. And in my personal walk with Him. I want quality time in all these areas.
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So in summary, it helps to have a schedule. If we don’t “schedule” it, it doesn’t happen naturally. Two words for us lately are faith and discipline. Stewardship of our family and time goes along WITH faith. Family time didn’t have naturally for us, it has to be schedule.
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We have a digital calendar and we’re going to put family time on it. One night before school starts, we meet as a family and pray over the year. And we’re going to be intentional to have it on the calendar…whether it’s a big thing or small…it will be a priority. It’s a non-negotiable.
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Being involved, going here and there, friends are asking them over…but we will never regret being intentional in making family time. I’ve learned this personally from saying “yes” to too many things and being burned out later…
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Family is first, we will include the kids and make lists, and we will put in on the calendar.
Charissa
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August is the start of school and sports and full schedules, and yes – it’s busy! My husband is a volunteer coach so we are on the field every week and involved and gone a lot. And prioritizing family time is hard.
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In the fall, these Friday nights at the games each week are so fun, as my girls’ friends are there. It’s not just our family having one on one time with each other, but it’s still a great bonding time for our girls and for us, at the games. Seeing friends is part of our family time.
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We are also very involved in church and try to make it on Sunday mornings to be together as a family
Two of our three girls have birthdays in the fall, so that’s family time for sure. Planning and being together for their parties is a great time celebrate and be together.
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Typically, if Saturdays are free, we use those mornings to relax and have breakfast and spend quality time then…together…just our family of five.
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With our schedule being so unpredictable during this season, we don’t have “set” nights as family time, as nice as that sounds to me!
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While we don’t have specific family gatherings on our calendar, I think it’s okay to have family time during the busyness, in the activities we do, as long as we do them together!