So.
We have the best new routine within the casa, and when the stars align and it all works according to plan, it’s pretty much my very favorite part of the day (well, I tend to have lots of very favorite parts of my day, but this one falls under the selfish and indulgent category, ha).
Basically, the kiddos are madly in love with playing old school XBox with Daddy. And if we’ve completed our school work for the day, done our bike ride, navigated all of our other to-dos and scheduled activities, bathed, and finished dinner in enough time to allow for it...the fun happens just before story time/bed time.
It is absolutely ecstatic, insane, high-octane fun when they play. There’s screaming, jumping, tiny-children silly trash talk, and just general JOY. And it’s a great way for the hubby to spend some fun time with them without having to exhaust himself physically (which he does very often when playing high-energy games with them, like indoor dodgeball, ha).
It seriously is a fun time to be had—as long as you can handle the massive volume increase within the house. ;)
But what makes it an absolute gift to me is that I often join them in the playroom after they’ve started a few minutes prior, once I’ve completed the post-dinner kitchen cleanup.
So if I manage to load the dishwasher and restore things fast enough, I get to sneak upstairs, where I full on lay down on the couch, with my kindle, right behind my family of crazies, with the view above.
And I just get to lounge and read and BE for maybe 20 minutes and I could not love it more.
On more than one occasion, the hubby or my crazies have tried to rope me into playing a round or two with them, and I’m oddly proud to report that I’ve put a firm foot down to keep this a Daddy experience only.
I’ve very lovingly told them that I adore laying there and listening to them, but that it brings Mama a ton of joy just to be able to sit behind them for a moment, and I think it’s a wonderful thing for them to see me prioritizing just a few minutes for my sanity—especially these days.
Mamas, parents—heck, all human beings—are wearing a lot of hats during this crazy time we’re still navigating. And I will absolutely admit that most nights, I fall to bed exhausted with my feet aching. Truth be told, just a couple of days ago, I assumed my couch position and full-on fell asleep within a couple of minutes—screaming and yelling and jumping and insanity happening just a few feet in front of me. I mean, talk about zonked.
Imagine how our health care workers and first responders feel???? I mean...MAN. If I could give them my Xbox couch time, I’d do it ten times over.
I’ve been very open for years about the fact that I stay up late after my whole household is asleep, reading in bed because it is my SANITY KEEPER.
Yes, it makes me tired, and I do have to watch the clock when I’m obsessed with an amazing book, but for the most part, it is truly the one thing that I’ve held close to me as MY THING that I do FOR ME that I will not give up.
Heath and sanity are so important right now, for every human on the planet. And I wish, I wish, I wish, everyone out there could have a slice of just one tiny thing that helps them keep it all together during their day.
This one happens to be my favorite at the moment—and such a joyful bit of family time, to boot—and I hope you peeps have something, too.
Stay healthy, stay sane.
Over and out.
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