Summer is coming to an end soon for our family and that will mean sliding back into the hustle and bustle of busy school days and extra curricular activities. As a mom, it can feel a little overwhelming preparing for the start of school especially if you have had a jam-packed summer like we have had.
My solution to keep me grounded as we transition back into this time is to have a minimum of one day a week where we do nothing. It is a day that I lovingly refer to as our “detox day” from the busy running and commercialism that we are exposed to. It is the day where we do nothing, we spend nothing, we are unplugged, and we just spend time together, making time to indulge in the good old-fashioned things in life. These days are filled with time spent around board games instead of time spent around a television, library books instead of our electronic games, creating instead of buying, and rediscovering those simple pleasures in life. It is this one day a week where I can come back to center and feel aligned again with my family and what is most important to me.
Forts are built and snuggled under with blankets and pillows from the bed.
Treasured books from the thrift store are lovingly read again.
Fancy meals are abandoned in favor of eggs and toast for dinner.
Homemade treats are baked with my children, while making giant messes in the kitchen.
Sheets are lovingly washed and hung on the line, waiting for each family member to indulge in the crispness after a day filled with nothing.
These days allow me to refocus on the abundance and the simple pleasures that are within my life, instead of the need to go, go, go, buy, buy, buy. After having one day like this, I often want to continue the trend of simple living and simple pleasures and extend it further into my week.
It is these days when I am…
Thankful.
Centered.
Happy.
It is these days when I feel that I am at my best as a mom and wife.
It is these days that I wish I could fall into daily.
It these days where I know what is important.
Who is important.
Why they are important.
How do you bring focus back to the simple pleasures in life?
Sounds like a perfect day to me. I could easly do a whole week like this. We try to do something similar at our house; basically we all need quiet time.
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I think that the desire for simple times is what feeds my love of reading Beverly Lewis books…..she writes about the Amish culture and faith…..they work very hard…..but they are very connected to their community and their family.
My father was raised in an Old Order Amish family……it is hard to believe how different his life is now.
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Great post! It is pretty funny to me that everything I have been coming across online today has been mentioning different ways to make that quiet time that is oh so necessary…definitely a sign telling me I need to take some breaks in life…this post makes me think of this question I saw on the skinny scoop asking: Do you take time weekly to meditate? I need to be more aware of this and I am sure my LOs would appreciate a less-stressed me as well
Here’s the link for that question:
http://www.theskinnyscoop.com/question/q/2089?utm_campaign=theskinnyscoop&utm_medium=textlink&utm_source=momadvice&utm_content=momtime
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Amy Reply:
August 18th, 2010 at 10:47 am
It must be that last bit of simpleness before the school schedule rolls around. I always quiet down in anticipation of the scheduling of my day
Thanks for your comment, Jackie!
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This sounds like something that I need to do with my family. It seems like you really have things in order and you love to spend time with your family. Keep it up and I will try to join in your detox days at my house.
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Sounds like you are looking and have found your happy place with the one day a week of detox.
in my experience it can be hard to do nothing but once you get the hang of it, it not only makes your busy days better but also the ones where you are detoxing…
good luck and enjoy the last few days of summer.
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