"Guess I Was Too Busy Being In the Now"

Don't we often wonder whether what we share with our children ever truly sinks in?  Several days ago Kim was driving our 14 year old son, Jonah, and a few of the neighborhood boys to school.  They were all talking, laughing, and clearly enjoying their conversation.  After Jonah exited the car, Kim noticed he didn't have his backpack and upon quickly scanning the car, realized he forgot it at home.  She yelled out the window but he was still so engrossed in conversation that he didn't hear her.  She pulled around to the parking lot and phoned him.  A minute later he returned to the car and she asked, "Missing anything, Jonah?"  He replied, "I don't think so."  "Your backpack silly", Kim announced.  They rushed home and made it back to school just in the nick of time.  Just as he was stepping out of the car once more, Kim asked, "Jonah, how did you not notice at any point that you didn't have your backpack with you earlier?"  He paused for a second to think and responded while laughing, "I don't know mom.  I guess I was too busy being in the now.  Maybe this incident will be a good post for Daddy's blog?"  "I think you're right son.  I think you're right." 

There's Always Dig Out Monday

Kim was recently chatting with some friends stressed about the challenges of keeping a clean house with young children, particularly on the weekend.  Kim, a bit of a perfectionist who also used to get anxious about this remarked, “Don’t worry about it ladies.  If you have kids and your house is perfectly clean, you’re doing something wrong.”  While I get that this is probably not true in every circumstance, I do get her point.  Why not let go of the need to be the perfect supermom, do it all, and have a spotless house?  Wouldn’t you much rather simplify your life, focusing your precious time on the few absolute most important matters in your life, like playing, teaching, and being fully present with your loved ones?  If you don’t think so now, I promise you will one day.  “What’s that Isaac?  Time for the Hot Lava game?  Daddy and Mommy have so much to do”.  On second thought, sounds great.  I hear Kim behind me, “I always have dig out Monday.”  Thanks babe.