Moving My Family Forward

Recently I did a Takeover Tuesday for Indianapolis Moms. One of the things I said that people positively responded to was my phrase that I was doing activities to move my family forward. Vacuuming. Grocery shopping. Emptying the dishwasher. Some people call those chores or items to check off their to-do lists. I think of these tasks as moving my family forward.

Let me back up just a bit. I work part-time, and I am lucky that my situation allows me to do so. On the days I am not at work and my daughter is at preschool, I try to move my family forward. Is moving my family forward that different from classifying certain tasks as “chores?” Well, simply put, yes.

When I reframe it as moving my family forward, I think about the ways in which I do things that benefit my husband and daughter. In my mind it goes something like this: Well, if I go to Aldi’s now, then Jeff won’t have to go, and we’ll be set for the week, or If I throw items in the crock pot for dinner, we can spend more time together after I pick up Ev. Moving my family forward with us being able to spend more time together or lessen my husband’s load (he works full time) is always the goal.

You might be saying, “but, Emily, does it really make a difference?”

Yes, it does. The emphasis on moving the family forward and thinking about how you are helping instead of thinking about those chores as duties or obligations makes a huge difference.

Are there days I still don’t want to fold the laundry or load the dishwasher (again!)? Absolutely. But I think about what I’ll gain in return when my husband isn’t working and my daughter isn’t in preschool: more time with them with fewer obligations. When I think about it like that, vacuuming, grocery shopping, and emptying the dishwasher all become worth it. Reframing my thinking and moving my family forward during my days off makes sense for me. Maybe it will for you too.