Multi-tasking Mom's

Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.

- Proverbs 22:6

Every night after dinner with my family, my husband and I carve out a few minutes to breath out and listen to each others day. Although we are BLESSED to work together in the same office / same line of work, we encounter different experiences each day and we don't always see each other.  It is nice to be able to empty out our minds and have someone to listen on the other end. I'll admit that it doesn't always go that way, there are plenty times where days get spilled over cooking dinner, table setting, kids talking and dogs barking... yet for the most part we plan for quiet times to have these talks. 

Just yesterday I had one of those rare moments where I just started to spill my day to my husband over the phone on my way to pick up my oldest from school. I went on to explain that it was a good day, all that I was able to accomplish and how our 2 year old, whom came along with was good while mommy did all her work. When I mentioned that she was "good," my husband replied "yeah?" as if there was a question, so without hesitation I went on to explain how she had sat for most of the day and watched Blue's Clue's, I took some time to sit with her and have lunch and talk to her and she played with her toys in our office right beside my desk and didn't even bother me..." I paused and he paused on the other end... Then I got this: "Isn't it funny how we judge our kids behavior based on if they bother us or not...?" "huh" got me there, yet I tried to back pedal, "Well what I meant was she just was so happy today no tantrums!" To comfort me he softly said "Yes, I know babe I'm just saying it's pretty funny that is how we base their good days and bad days!" You know what... he was SO RIGHT. I mean from time to time I think about this as I sulk in the motherly guilt moment yet to hear it was like a wake up call! I judged my TWO year old's day, by how she didn't bother me... what a selfish judgement I passed. In that moment in the midst of conversation with my husband about how our day was, I was experiencing an awaking moment of the value of time. I'm one lucky girl to have a husband that I get to have conversations like this and grow with! 

Is multi tasking effective for me? The answer is NO! I learned this from a very inspirational leader of a man, CEO and growth machine in business that multi-tasking is simply NOT effective. Whether it be watching your kids and doing paper work to having conversation while watching Property Brothers. People who "try" and multitask are often easier to distract because they have more trouble filtering out irrelevant informtion. In fact, when it comes to distractions, muti-taskers can be their own worst enemy spending an average of 3 minutes on any one task before moving on to another, while it takes 11 minutes to refocus. That also means that while your brain is starting the timer for the 11 minutes to get re-focsued at 3 minutes your distracted!!!  AHHH what a vicious cycle! So in a world of constant distractions,  phone calls, Facebook, emails, to do lists, changing Blue's Clue's videos and getting more apple juice, we are not focused on one thing at a  time... hardly ever! 

My daughter didn't feel that she had a bad day with mommy, she isn't even aware that I was basing her behavior status on how little she interrupted my tasks, no for her, she had a fun day at the office with mommy, got to watch Blue's Clue's, eat lunch with mommy, play with toys and color and I know this because that's what she told my husband she did!I love being a mom, everything that I get to be, do and experience as a mom... I LOVE! What a great awareness this has brought to my love for motherhood a realization to cherish each moment of time spent with our children is. Is it easier said then done, no, stop making excuses and become intentional about cherishing those moments! We are all trying to be the best mommy, wife and women we all know how to be, learning each day, my guess is that if we can be real enough, raw enough, open to change, and come from our hearts, our growth is limitless and everyone wins when we grow!  I get to choose to be aware of how I influence my daughters day, how I get to be a part of empowering her to grow and learn and simply be a 2 year old making memories. I'm not a perfect mom and were not a perfect family; however we are an imperfect family COMMITTED to improving!!