Mom Friend: STOP and take the time to play.

Published by Bert A. on

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STOP and take the time to Play

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The summer is difficult. We wait all year for it, especially here in Minnesota, it finally arrives and it’s this mad dash to cram everything you possibly can into three months. It’s exhausting and we don’t have any kind of structure to our schedule. The kids seem to think that since they’re out of school they’re void of contributing any kind of help around the house. And on top of trying to get the children to chip in, I’m trying to keep my one year old darling out of the ant traps.

Enjoy Life. Peppermint Twist Delano MN
Every so often we have a day where I kind of throw caution to the wind. Blogging takes a backseat. The laundry is put on hold. And dinner is anything but fancy. We play. Whether we’re at home getting sprayed with the water hose or it’s like yesterday, a play date at this beautiful little park on Lake Rebecca with lunch at Peppermint Twist, a cute drive-in that is in Delano. That day I threw out the schedule, the routine and we did throw caution to the wind. The baby took her one and only nap in the car which meant an early bedtime. And the older two fell fast asleep the second their heads hit the pillow, a sure sign of a day spent playing in the sun with friends. 

At the end of that day there were still dishes that needed to be washed and I should’ve probably taken a shower to rinse all of the sand off. But as the kiddos were fast asleep dreaming of mermaids, sea monsters and old fashioned drive-ins I sat down to rest. I did nothing. The dishes can wait for the morning, the toys can be picked up the next day and I can rest knowing that we played today. That’s what mattered the most that day. Not the messy house or the frozen pizza I threw in the oven but what mattered were the memories we made together. When they look back on this summer, the busy schedule we had to cram everything in, I hope they’ll remember this day where we played and did whatever fit our fancy. 

Take time Mom Friend each week to play and throw caution to the wind. The chores can wait, fancy made from scratch dinners can be skipped and the children can be out of their routine. I’m going to try to do this weekly. Will you join me?

When do you play with your kids? Is it a specific day or are you able to step away from the demands of work and running a home to play with the kiddos?


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Bert A.

As the creator of the lifestyle blog and book, Me Before Mom, Bert supports millennial moms facing the challenges and changes of motherhood. Me Before Mom is an online community that offers support through real life stories, encouraging advice, and answers to questions about how a woman maintains herself during this self-sacrificial time of parenthood. Stories from Bert Anderson have helped women across the globe through the Huffington Post, Today’s Parent, and on the Harry show. Whether weathering the first year of motherhood or walking through the later stages of motherhood, Bert has helped many continue to find herself while still in the throes of motherhood. Purchase your copy of Me Before Mom: Putting Your Oxygen Mask on First today!

6 Comments

Dandi D · August 7, 2015 at 3:36 pm

This is a good reminder. I am always so busy in the summer, I sometimes forget to have fun!

Laura F · August 8, 2015 at 3:29 pm

This was such a great reminder!

Keara Biller · August 9, 2015 at 12:07 am

I feel really fortunate that my husband is a teacher and has the summers off. Because of that, we each try to have quality time with our girls every day in the summer. But I sometimes struggle to let go of the laundry, or the dishes, or the to-do list… this was a good reminder that it’s more important to just live in the moment and play. Thank you for that. 🙂

Shannon · November 10, 2015 at 9:05 am

we try to be spontaneous with the kids. Especially on a gorgeous day, get out & play. The house & all of life’s distractions will always be there. Moments & memories need to be made bc that’s what kids remember and those memories last a lifetime. I love a clean house, but I know my kids won’t brag to their friends that they are so blessed bc I kept a clean house. 😉

    Bert @ First Time Mom MN · November 11, 2015 at 10:21 am

    Wouldn’t it be hilarious if our kids did brag about the clean house they live in? Thankfully mine don’t care either or I’d be in trouble!

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