Leave the Dishes…

I’ve heard it said about parenting, ‘be in the moment.’  I wholeheartedly agree.  Life is too short to be burdened by a fast and hard ‘to-do list.’  Our children are only children for a short time.  Blink and it is over!  I know you’ve heard it all but I guarantee that when your children have all flown the nest you’ll wonder what happened to the years.

Leave the dishes and the laundry and the dusting and the vacuuming and the cooking - they will wait.  Be present with your children.  However, those things are important too.  Consider being ‘present’ while training up your child.  Do the dishes together, explore new recipes for planning meals next week, show them the life skill of organization and prioritization, and have FUN!!  Your children will remember the joy of the chores you did together.  The conversation that went along with preparing dinner.  The laughter at trying to fold a fitted sheet (or the frustration…).  It is all part of life and can be the creation of some of the most valuable lessons.

I once knew a woman who decided to stop cleaning her house for the sake of being with her children.  Guess what?  Her children never learned what the habit of neatness and the discipline of organization looked like.

Our children need our time AND our instruction.  They need our love AND our discipline.  What a balancing act we try to pull off.  You’re doing a great job!  Be encouraged!