Nothing Time

"Nothing" time.

I don't mean time truly doing nothing (although maybe sometimes that's exactly what it means), but time when there is nothing on the calendar - nowhere we 'have' to be.

Honestly I never thought about it much before become a mother. In the list of all the things I imagined doing as a parent - feeding and clothing them or teaching and bedtime kissing them, I never really considered 'guarder of nothing time' as one of my sacred job duties.

But here I am, pretty fledged into parenthood now, and finding that as a modern mom I've had to learn how to do just that - protect 'nothing' time.

Because we are busy folks.

Buuuuuuuuuuuusy.

I have four kids. Four kids who love sports, who love music, who want to do and sign up for alllll the things. And we are on.the.go.

But as much as they love and want to do it all, as much as they gain and grow from being part of different teams and activities, I'm also keenly aware that they need down time. We need down time. And frankly, we need time simply together - to teach them the things only we can teach them.

We need 'nothing' time.

Time in our schedule and in our routine for blank spaces. Time to be bored - and for them to figure that out. Time to pick up a book or a sketch pad. Time to run through the yard. Time to sit at the dinner table. Time to pitch in with chores or learn to help in the kitchen. Time to have the conversations we've been meaning to have and the unexpected ones that pop up when the rush is removed. Time to pile on the couch and feel the warmth of laughing out loud at a movie together. Time to attend to their hearts and to teach them the How's of working through conflict. Time to connect. Time to rest. Time to grow some of those deeper layers that aren't born in a classroom or on a field, but in the home.

We need 'nothing' time.

Because in the race of raising kids today, I've learned that 'nothing' time often has the very richest kind of fullness.

And while I'm grateful for all the opportunities modern living offers kids wanting to engage in their communities and pursue their talents and interests, I'm not willing to sacrifice all their souls need and soak up in those precious 'nothing' hours at home.
So I’ll give my everything, to make sure there’s enough time for nothing. ❤️