What’s the rush?
The stores put out the school supplies in May, Halloween decorations in June, and Christmas trees in August. The bathing suits come out the second the Valentine’s Day candy is put away, and if you want to buy your kids their matching Christmas pajamas, you better start looking right after Labor Day.
Signing your kids up for preschool or summer camp? If winter is over, you’ve waited too long. Interested in taking that holiday train ride in December? You should’ve bought tickets last January.
As a society, we want things right now — but even better if we can have things early. Don’t wait too long, because it’s probably too late.
We rush our kids to put on their shoes in the morning and to eat their dinner before soccer practice starts. We eat our lunches standing up at the kitchen counter, sitting in front of the computer, or in the car. We blame it on being a busy mom or call it a “working lunch.”
Taking a break can feel embarrassing, and napping is nothing to brag about.
Why, as a society, are we like this?
Nothing has made it more evident to me how fast time goes than having kids. One minute ago, my oldest was crawling around in diapers, and the next minute, she’s in upper elementary school solving math problems that I can hardly explain.
I’m tired of rushing time away. I don’t want to think about buying school supplies the second my kids get out of school for the summer, just as much as I don’t want to buy a bathing suit in February.
I want to indulge in too much ice cream in August, buy pumpkins in October, pick apples in September, and put up the Christmas lights in December.
I want to take a guilt-free nap when my preschooler does and sit down to eat my lunch.
I want to be present in each season when I’m actually in that season.
I want to tell my kids “no rush” and mean it.
