Great ideas for harried parents...

Find More Hours in Your Day

“So many worlds, so much to do, so little done, such things to be.”

Tennyson

 Do you need more hours in your day?  Are you weary? If you are a partner who is also a parent, your answer is probably an automatic “yes.” Weary and tired may seem like a permanent part of life’s landscape. Yet our Heavenly Father promises rest to those who come to him. He gives us spiritual refreshment and helps up renew our perspective. We may not find more hours in the day but with his help us can look for ways to slow the pace.

If you feel life is getting out of control, and time for building a better marriage relationship missing, it may be time to slow down. And here’s some tips for doing just that!

·         Move your children’s bedtime up by thirty minutes. Your kids may not be happy about this, but if you hold your ground, you just may find new minutes to invest in your marriage. 

·         Grab time for twoOlder children can understand that mom and dad need time alone. They may not jump up and down with excitement, but you can establish a time when they realize you don’t want to be disturbed. When our three sons were teenagers, we re-did our bedroom and added a sitting area so we had a place of escape! When our door was closed, it meant, “Stay out!” And to make sure they did when we really wanted privacy, we would lock our door.

·         Stop competing with Heloise and Martha Stewart. Look for short cuts. For instance, want to make cutout cookies with your preschooler? Start with a roll of refrigerated cookie dough! With fun shapes and sprinkles they’ll look and taste homemade. You can make great homemade pizza with frozen crust already rolled out. Homemade bread can start with frozen dough.

·         Take shortcuts! Are mornings hectic at your house? When you need a break, let your children sleep in their sweats--the next morning they are already dressed and ready to go!

·         Recruit some help. Hire a neighborhood kid. Do you dread that arsenic hour right before dinner? Why not hire a helper to read to or play with your little ones while you collect your wits or prepare dinner?

·         Say “no.” When you feel overwhelmed, and you are about to add another commitment to an already too busy schedule, pull out that little two-letter miracle word “no!”

Take our tips, and remember the words of Jesus of Nazareth to “Come to me all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”  [ Matthew 11:28-30]

 Trust us. You’ll enjoy your marriage just a little bit more and you may find your daily burden is not so heavy!