‘She’s not a tally on the task list. She’s who I’m doing it for.’: Mom shares turning mundane tasks into magical moments for kids

“I am always trying to rush my five-year-old out of the shower.

She likes to play. Bring toys. Take time.

And me? I’m going through the motions, getting things done. Checking boxes off the mom list, demanding clean armpits.

I realized sitting here on the lid of this toilet, her on the other side in the tub playing in a realm of make-believe and wonder, that the moments they remember are the ones you take the time to make.

Those moments can be glorified in a way that’s best for your family. Not Instagram or Facebook.

She’s not a tally on the task list. She’s who I’m doing it for.

She’s the whole list.

It doesn’t have to be a chore. The cleaning, the mundane daily master list, that’s the experience.

That’s what life is. The baths, the laundry, the dishes.

Take the time to explore what it takes to find beauty in the here and the now.

To engage them in situations that create their future standards.

Put your phone down. Turn the cleaning tasks into cleaning games. Teach them about the kind of parent they will want to be someday.

Dive into make-believe when they dive into the tub. Clean the grout when you do.

There are surely many magical moments to be found in the mandatory mundane master list.

You’re not doing any of this alone when you’re with your kids.

The moments they will certainly remember the most are the ones you take the time to make.”

This story was submitted to Love What Matters  by Wallflower Writing at Detroit Moms. You can follow her journey on Instagram and her website. Submit your own story here, and be sure to subscribe to our free email newsletter for our best stories, and YouTube for our best videos.

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