We have a million responsibilities, bills, and activities to coordinate. Sometimes, it’s so dang hard to just SIT and CONNECT with those you love.
But have you ever watched your children play? Isn’t it breathtaking how truly in the moment they can be? How given over to joy they are?
For Easter this year, I hope we all make the effort to be more like them. To have a little more FUN.
Because a life of all work and no play makes for a waste of our one and only precious time on Earth.
Time to Play More
Unfortunately, about a year ago, I realized that this was the world I was living. I love my work, but I had let it preside over almost all of my waking thoughts. I rarely had fun with my kids, and I didn’t often want to let my hair down.
I realized this when my child said “mom, why do you work all the time?” Ouch.
I knew that I had to turn it around, and that Easter would be a great start.
To me, that didn’t mean overloading my kids with candy and junk. It meant making sure the day was spent in each other’s company – without devices and distractions.
Here’s what I did to make it happen:
Set Boundaries
First, I let my kids know BEFORE Easter that devices would be off-limits. And even more importantly, I hid my devices from myself – no mindless online perusing or work scheduling could happen.
I Incorporated Fun Into the Day
I tried to make things more fun! Instead of a plain Easter egg hunt, I put letters in the eggs to spell out where their Easter baskets were. See here for more egg filler ideas for Easter.
I also made sure to get them items that we could do together, like family games, kites, and other hands-on cooperative activities for the baskets. That way we had plenty to do during the day.
*Note: You could also do an Easter scavenger hunt together or a pickup game of soccer as more ways to have fun.
I Had Them Help Cook
Now, Easter dinner can be a lot of work. But it turned into a day of connection as my kids helped us get it all together. Not only were we able to talk about new things while we cooked, but the kids also took great pride in the food they created for the feast.
We Went to Church
We aren’t always churchgoers, but it was great to do this together as a family. After we could discuss and connect through what we learned there. If you don’t go to church, try going on a picnic, to a neighbor’s house, or somewhere else that gets you out of your home together.
We Did Something Nice
Finally, we took something delicious over to a friend and it felt incredible to have the time to care for our neighbors. When your only goal for the day is to have fun and connect, it’s WAY easier to do nice things for others.
In Conclusion
In the end, it worked! We felt close and connected, and I decided that my weekends and holidays needed to feel that way in the future. If you struggle to separate your work and home life, take heart. It can be done, and you’ll be a happier, more loving person for it. I know I am.
“The Easter egg symbolizes our ability to break out of the hardened, protective shell we’ve surrounded ourselves with…”
