The Gift of Time

Now more than ever, there are so many ways to occupy a day.

On cellphones alone, there are thousands of apps for entertainment all at the touch of a finger. It may be virtually impossible to be bored, but there is one principle that will always ring true: time can only be spent one way. How one chooses to spend every day, hour, and minute cannot be undone. We always wish we had time back or we could do something differently, but that is not in our power. What we can do is utilize every moment possible that we have been given. We will never have more time to spend with our families than we do right now. Picking free time over responsibilities is not always possible; however, even when we can, we often still pick responsibilities. About half of parents do not use all of their paid vacation days. Of the days they do use, one in four still worked every day during the trip.

Try not to get caught up on the small things. Looking back, those moments of stress and frustration are not important; the memories of bonding are what we remember. One in four parents feel that they are too busy for family time; and when they do have that time, 60% of parents say it is spent in silence— either watching a movie or using phones. Putting down the technology means more time together. Family bonding is proven to increase confidence, improve kids’ academic performance, and even decrease the chance of your child acting out or engaging in dangerous activities. In the moment, levels of stress decrease, which is super beneficial for everyone involved. Bonding does not just have to be sitting down and talking— which also has its benefits, as it can be making something, playing a game, going outside, the list goes on! The most important thing is that the activity is done as a group. Having memories of being a family last forever; being stressed, angry, or always on a phone will not be what we remember, but it may be what we regret.

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