Spending Time With the Kids

One of my struggles in life is taking time to spend with my kids. I can find so many things to do instead of spend time with them. Tonight I chose to leave the house a mess and jump in the pool with them for an hour before bed. It was so nice to have all four of them doing something together and having fun. It didn’t take a lot of effort, no extra money, and we were able to create good memories and build relationships with each other. It wasn’t argument free but overall we all enjoyed the time together.

So how do I find balance between doing what needs to get done and spending time with the kids? If I had patience I could involve them more in the work. ;) The real answer, I think, is to be more conscientious of what I am doing, make plans, schedule my time rather than fly by the seat of my pants. If I tell myself that I have an hour every night from 6:30 to 7:30 to do something with the kids and make that a priority, then I think all of us would be happier.

Being a single parent is probably one of the most difficult things I have ever had to do. Having to make all the decisions without another adult to help, having to be on duty twenty-four hours a day for nightmares, sickness, loneliness, for the kids to tell jokes to, play with, report how school went, and the many, many other things that need to happen each day. There are times I wonder how I can continue to get up each morning and do it all by myself one more time. But as I pray, I find strength that I never knew I had. As I keep getting up and doing what needs to get done I feel support from a power greater than myself. And at the end of the day when I lay with my kids as they go to sleep, I feel their unspoken love and gratitude for me and that makes every bit of the struggle worthwhile.

What activities bring you closer to your family?