How to Parent with Intention and Make the Most of Time You Have

Am I making the most of every opportunity with my kids? This question circles my head frequently. Maybe you have asked yourself the same question.

When my boys were younger, they wanted me to play with Legos or build blocks on the floor. I was there physically, but my mind was often preoccupied with to-do lists. This all changed when our family walked through a divorce.

Time was important before our family split, but I never saw it as priceless. Now that I had to share my days with my kids, this limited resource was now a treasure. Every second I had with my children held much value. Like an expensive jewel that needed to be protected, I began guarding both the hours with my boys as well as the ones without. 

The minutes with my kids became precious and purposeful.

The minutes without my kids became deliberate and intentional. 

Ephesians 5:15-16 says, “Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time because the days are evil.”

Are you being wise with your time?

What if I told you that you have only 936 weeks from when you bring home your newborn baby until they are 18 years old? Just a little less than 1,000 weeks under your roof where you can intentionally speak truth to them, build their character, and teach your kids about faith.  

At church, a speaker brought a large container filled to the top with 1,000 marbles to visually show us how many weeks we had with our children. Dumping out almost the entire jar, only 200 marbles were remaining. I gasped as he said, “This is the amount of time you have left if you have a high school freshman.” That year, my son had just completed 9th grade, so I realized that our weeks together were even less.

Are you being intentional with each marble? Trying to guard each week, I made a list of the top priorities for our family.

Time with my kids:

• Family meals: Eat together and talk about our day around the dinner table.
• Grow in our faith: As a family, go to church, pray, and read devotionals together.
• Fun Nights: Game nights, movie nights, and lots of laughter.
• Learn together: Read books and do schoolwork.
• Make special memories: Family vacations and weekend trips.
• Enjoy the outdoors: Hikes, bike rides, and adventures.

Time without my kids

• Daily spend alone time with God.
• Depth: Read and grow.
• Rest: Recharge and reboot.
• Community: Connect with friends.

Let me encourage you to make a list of how you want to spend time with your kids intentionally and your alone time too.

Remember all of us have the same quantity of minutes, but the quality of our time is completely up to us.

Truly enjoy your time with your little ones as you cuddle your babies. When your preschooler is building blocks, kneel down on the carpet and fully engage and help them. I know laundry needs to get done, but you will never get that hour back if you miss it. When your young elementary-aged student needs help writing his letters or reading a book, connect with him. When your junior high student needs to share about her day, be fully present and listen to her. Don’t let your mind wander to grocery lists or dinner prep. Before you know it, your child will be in high school with less than 200 weeks left with you.

Remember, time is a precious gift. Let’s parent with intention.

Blessings,

Jodi Rosser