Episode Details

Today, I talk about Going on Vacation every single day. Time-blocking my day to allow for Vacation Hours has changed how I think about my days and has revolutionized my relationship with my children.

Key Points from this Episode:

• • Telling ourselves "I am being present" with our kids while our minds are swirling with all the things we want to get done does not work.
  • Prep for vacation:
    • Have a place to write down all your thoughts
    • Buy a watch - do not check your phone to check the time
    • Choose a chunk of hours to be your Vacation Time. It should be the time your children need connection the most. For us, that's the mid-morning hours when we are doing homeschool. For others, it might be between when kids get home from school and dinner or bedtime.
  • During your vacation:
    • Keep your phone away. In your room. Take a vacation from worrying about anything that happens with your phone.
    • Don't worry about your own projects or to do lists
    • Be there with your kids 100% like you would be when you're on vacation
    • When you are on vacation, there are no "shoulds." None at all.
  • After your vacation:
    • Work on your projects!
    • Don't feel guilty!
    • Know that you've put in good, quality face-time with your kids (and not the video chat kind)
  • Being mentally there does not mean playing with them every minute of the day. It means taking a break from our devices and tuning in to our children and their needs.