Over dinner on Monday night, our family had an all too familiar conversation. Parents of school children across the country likely have a similar conversation on the night before school begins.
Carol asked the girls if they were excited for the new school year. While none of our girls were willing to admit that they were, I think they were ready. If nothing else, they wanted to see their friends again. Even if they didn't want to go back to school, they seemed eager for the change.
The return to school is obviously a big shock for the girls, but it is a huge change for our schedule as well. It offers the opportunity to make a shift in our lives. It allows us to establish a new routine. For the past two months, as expected, life has been a little more chaotic in the Bleam household. This change in our daily routine has given us the chance to take control over our schedule again.
What are you doing with this opportunity? Imagine the possibilities! Now is the time to do some planning. What goals would you like to accomplish in the coming weeks to months? Does your children's return to school open a window of time that you did not have before? Now is the time to seize that opportunity!
One major shift in our household this year is that we now have a high schooler. Which is a little scary, to be honest, because Carol and I aren't old enough for that yet... In all honesty, what this means for us is an earlier wake-up time on weekday mornings. During the summer break, we were much more lenient with bedtimes and wake-up times. That all changed Monday night! An earlier wake-up time for her will likely translate into setting an earlier alarm for us as well.
Waking up earlier presents an opportunity. I will now have an extra hour or so every morning. How can we make that shift in the schedule productive? I will be using that time to get some additional work done. I will use the extra quiet time to write these newsletters. I will be using the time to do some journaling while enjoying my coffee. Sometimes, I will simply use the time to enjoy the peace and quiet in our house at that hour while meditating. Regardless of what I choose to do during that time, I will be making it productive!
How did your schedule change? How will that change in schedule impact your daily routine? Can you make that routine shift have a positive impact on your life in the short term? How about possible changes in the long term?
