Do you know how to be a better mom by sitting? Well, see if you sound like me. I used to take pride in how much I was on the move. See me in the kitchen zipping here and there fixing dinner? See me running up and down the stairs to keep the laundry cycle moving? See me getting things done while others in my family sit?
Turns out, I needed to do less moving and more sitting, and maybe you do, too. Here’s why: A lot of the impact of being a mom comes when we’re interacting with our children eye to eye. Those are the moments when we’re playing with them, reading to them, and talking to them. If we sit, we connect even more. So pull up a chair and take a look at these 5 times moms need to sit down more.
Sit to play.
When children are small, a lot of their play happens on the floor. So sit down with your little ones. Turn your back on your chores for a bit and really engage with your kids in their world. These ideas for an indoor camping “trip” are great places to start.
Sit to talk.
All kids, but especially tweens and teens, open up the most when they have our undivided attention. And since older kids are able to have deeper conversations, they need us to really listen to fully understand them. Plus, taking the time to sit with our kids shows them that what they’re saying is important to us. Here’s how to be an awesome listener.
All kids, but especially tweens and teens, open up the most when they have our undivided attention. Click To TweetSit to eat.
Even if the whole family can’t sit down to a meal together, you can sit with the children who are eating. So the next time mealtime rolls around, even if you’ve already eaten, stop what you’re doing and sit at the table too. If you’re in the habit of letting your kids eat in front of the TV, invite them to the table for meals when you can. It’s amazing how much closer you can feel when you’re sitting around a table. Try these four ways to make dinnertime happen if you’re struggling to fit the last meal of the day into your family’s schedule.
Sit down to love.
If your son is on the couch watching ESPN, sit down with him. If your daughter is looking at Pinterest, sit beside her with your own computer or phone and compare pins with her. While you’re in close proximity, give your kids a hug or a quick kiss on the cheek. If your kids are still little, pull them onto your lap and read them a book or tell them a story.
Sit down to relax.
If your children never see you sit down and relax, they’ll think adults are supposed to go 100 miles an hour all day. Show your children that it’s OK and healthy to sit down and read, watch TV, or just chill.
When’s the last time you sat down with your kids and what was the best part about it?
