Sometimes we need to hit pause
Slowing down helps us soak up the little moments because one day, we’ll realise those little moments were the big moments all along.
Recently, one morning, my wife was in with our oldest, they were both fast asleep, and our youngest had woken up early (we cosleep with Mia), so me and Mia went downstairs.
It was calm, it was chill, and it was relaxed. We ate breakfast. She had 100% of my undivided attention, and I realised that this was the first time we had eaten breakfast together, just one-on-one… ever!
It was only an hour, but it got me thinking about life before Mia came along when it was just Luca and how different the cadence of life was, especially in those first 4 years (Luca was 4 and a half when Mia came along).
I don’t doubt there were challenging and frantic times back then, but things felt less rushed. Luca didn’t attend any form of nursery or preschool until he was 3, so my wife and I had so much time one-on-one with him. Endless hours in his playroom, random trips away without too much planning, allowing him to lead the charge on activities, and seemingly many opportunities for my wife and I to get some “headspace”.
Fast forward 7 years into parenting, with the both of us working from home, a 2-year-old and an almost 7-year-old who is at school, life feels much more frantic.
Juggling the needs of multiple children becomes a challenge, one-on-one time with each child becomes less frequent, and school throws another challenge into the mix if you enjoy those random family getaways, as you’re now tied to the school schedule and planning in and around school holidays. Let alone the cost of those trips away during half term!
Don’t get me wrong—I wouldn’t change where we are or what we have for the world. I’m forever thankful we’re in this position, but it’s such an interesting observation that I thought I’d share. Especially for those navigating life with their first, savour that abundant one-on-one time with your little one.
This post is very much an accountability post, a reminder for me and my wife to hit pause sometimes! Life can be manic, so it’s ok to slow down. It’s ok to cancel plans. It’s ok to hunker down and have a duvet day!
Slowing down helps us soak up the little moments because one day, we’ll realise those little moments were the big moments all along.
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Tom Piccirilli, Founder of The Dad Vibes