Time Well Spent with my Kids
Time Well Spent with My Kids
As I have grown through my journey in motherhood (and adding kids to our family), I have come to find the importance of pouring into each of my kiddos in their own individual ways. This may seem so simple, but the outcomes when it happens are amazing, and on the flipside, when it doesn’t happen, I can see it too.
In December 2019 we added our third baby to our family, a baby girl, after two wonderful boys. I felt myself being pulled more and more strongly to take the boys out for their own mommy dates on a regular basis. Now, having a 5-year-old, 3-year-old and newborn, this felt tricky and hard. My oldest was a kindergartener and spent the majority of his days at school. Our 3-year-old was in preschool two mornings a week and needed more attention during the days than I felt I had to give. Not to mention, I also had a newborn baby who took all of my additional “free” time.
Since pouring into my boys on a more intentional level was really pulling on my heart strings to do, I found the time in the in-betweens to pour into my two older boy’s love languages.
My oldest thrives off of quality time, so I started to coordinate with my husband to have my middle son at school pick up time so I could get my oldest from school and take him on a hot chocolate date, or to the park, or whatever he wanted to do that day. Kindergarten was already a big adjustment for our family, so when I started taking the time and really being intentional, I saw so much happiness in my eldest’s eyes and behavior.
My middle son thrives off of touch. Now, this is a much easier thing for me to intentionally do. It can be quick in the passing and doesn’t have to be a long outing but is still equally important. When I see him intentionally misbehaving or acting out, I know he needs me to just stop what I am doing and hold him on my lap or snuggle him in his latest fort creation.
My baby girl, well she just wants to be played with and loved, but as she grows and shows her love languages in stronger ways, I will be ready and excited to pour into those as well. Right now, I am happy to set my phone and work aside and play peek-a-boo with her while I listen to life-giving sound of her giggles.
The more my heart, and limbs, feel pulled in three directions by my three loving and sweet kiddos, the more I feel inclined to love each of them with my whole self. When I pour into their love cups, the outcomes are so very sweet. Is it always easy to do? No, and I certainly do not do it even close to perfectly, but the more that I show them intentional love, the more we all grow and grow together. Motherhood is a beautiful and hard thing, and each season comes with its own challenges and joy. Through these individualized intentional times with my own three kids, I get to see the joy it brings to their lives, and in turn, I get to experience that joy as well.
Love, Staci