Time is on my side, yes it is,
Time is on my side, yes it is”
Rolling Stones 1964
Is it? Is it really?
Does it really feel like time is on your side?
Or does it feel like time is a massive beast running away from your “side” all the time?
Or could time actually be on our side and we just need to reclaim it?

We recently hosted a Parent Forward session on the ‘Gift of Slow’, reclaiming priorities and time. We discussed ways to reclaim time and to control it rather than time always controlling us, our families and our time together. There is no one solution for all of us as every family is different. The questions we need to ask ourselves in order to reclaim the oft runaway beast of time are:

Do we…

• Eat meals together?
• Discuss and reduce activities that don’t give joy?
• Limit screen time in our homes (mums and dads us, too!)?
• Connect with nature frequently?
• Have phone free meals, nights and even weekends?
• Block out one weekend day(s) every 5 weeks with no planned activities? (Give this a try!)
• Understand there is no perfect family? Can we fail forward trying to reclaim time?

No one said this is going to be easy. We have created a culture of scarcity where time is in charge of us. Too often we focus on what we perceive we lack instead of what we have. According to researcher, Brene’ Brown , we live in a culture of “never enough” as detailed in her book, Daring Greatly.

Brene’ says that too often we wake up each morning thinking we don’t have enough time and go through the day thinking there is not enough time, and fall asleep thinking we failed to accomplish enough tasks. Throughout the day we are made constantly aware of what we are missing: talent, luck, peace, creativity and time. But here’s the problem. Not only is this culture of scarcity discouraging (and debilitating at times) it distorts the tremendous gifts we have been given, including time. Regardless of our culture of perceived scarcity, or our individual circumstances, we can all point to blessings and gifts in our lives (even having 10 year olds), and time.  If we can see time through the right lens as “by our side” then we can have abundance and can enjoy that time with those we love.

Other tips gleaned from those who walk with time by their side and not shoving them from behind in a mad race to nowhere;

• Laugh, enjoy and be present in the moment
• There is no score, 1^st place award or grade for love, gratitude and engagement
• Our children get just one childhood
• Resist fear, seek abundance and connectedness and crank up the Rolling Stones singing ‘Time is on my side’.

Our final Parent Forward workshop for the term will be held on Friday 13 April.  Details will soon be available on our website by clicking here.
 

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