Where are you aiming your family time this summer?
Whether or not we are aware or intentional about it, we hit where we aim. In all of life. We may be looking somewhere else, thinking we are aiming there, but we will always hit where we are aiming.
Where are you aiming your family time this summer?
You will be different at the end of the summer than you are at the beginning. As will your children, your marriage, your relationships. Whether you are intentional about it or not. Change happens. That’s life. How do you want to be different at the end of this summer? How do you want your children to be different? How do you want your relationships to be different?
What will you do to aim your self and your family at that target?
This is not about putting more pressure or burdens on you, as if you shouldn’t enjoy summertime, and it should now be all about productivity, achievement, and busyness. It’s about being intentional with your aim.
Do you believe your kids and family need:
– more rest time
– more family work time
– less activity
– learning opportunities
– skill developing opportunities (sports, classes, etc)
– time together
– time apart
– new friendships
– etc, etc, etc
When you have thoughtfully answered these questions and decided where to aim, be sure to keep that aim in mind as you make choices about how to your family will spend time this summer. What is the point of sending Blaine to this camp? Why do we want Jill to get a summer job? Why do we always do X for family vacation? Why is our family committed to a total of 273 different activities this summer?!? How will the kids grow from having dozens of hours of unstructured time each week with nothing but their adolescent emotional whims, iPhone, internet connection, and PS3 to guide them? Do I have any idea where I am aiming my family? Am I okay with that?
What might happen if I decide to be purposeful with my family aim this summer?
May you invest well in your selves, your children, and your relationships this summer! Enjoy!
1 Comment
jkgarr · April 28, 2009 at 5:19 pm
I personally think too often we are all in a state of over-stimulation. One of the good memories of my childhood was just playing outside. Playing jacks on the sidewalk, jumping rope, playing ball, cloud gazing, running through the sprinklers. My family didn’t have money for extra-curricular activities and I’m rather thankful we didn’t. We got our first TV when I was 10 and we could only watch one show in the evening and some cartoons on Saturday. I know…I’m “older”….but really, do our kids need to be plugged in to computers, cell phones, texting etc.? Another of my favorite memories was spending hours at the library. Our next door neighbor was a librarian and she would often treat me and my brother to spending the entire day with her at work. I still love getting absorbed in a good book. So….I think you may be offering a challenge and I like it and I encourage it. Get purposeful with your family, especially when you can all be together, doing things together, and not just all going in different directions.