Spring Break can cause panic in many parents. What do I do with my kid while they’re off school for a week? Whether you’re at home with them or working, Spring Break can be an opportunity to reconnect with your child. 

In this season of life, what is really important to you? My guess is one of your top answers is family. So, what are you doing to make this a life well lived- for you and your child/ren? Are you stacking activity after activity, working late, and trying to get everything done around the house if given a free moment? 

For me lately, it’s a conscious decision to slow down and spend intentional time with my children. It’s looking my kid in the eyes and listening- really listening- to that story about Optimus Prime living in a tree of Transformers. I’ve started taking my oldest out for coffee/hot chocolate dates- just the two of us. It’s having these quiet moments that your kids will remember. 

These interactions and the example you’re setting are what make well-adjusted adults. It’s not their academic abilities, number of extracurriculars, or future college or career. 

Life moves in seasons, but they only happen once for each of us. Instead of waiting to make those memories, waiting until they’re old enough to XY&Z, or waiting for them to grow out of this phase or that, do the thing now. Okay, so what can you do right now? You can love them, accept them for who they are, and spend intentional time with them.

Although Spring Break might not be a break for you, it’s an opportunity for your child to spend bonus time with their favorite person in the world- YOU. Even if you’re working all week, you can give your child 10 minutes of undivided attention per day (no screens, no siblings, no distractions) just to be together (drawing, playing, etc.). The popular parent guide Big Little Feelings calls this the “ten-minute miracle.” It’s a miracle because giving children this positive, individual attention can make children feel safe, connected, heard, and even avert future tantrums. It might feel weird at first but, trust me, it’ll become second nature, and everyone will be more at peace. Glennon Doyle said it best: “Don’t let yourself become so concerned with raising a good kid that you forget you already have one.” So, will Spring Break be your breaking point or your breakthrough?