What’s Good About Being a Couch Potato?
It can drive you nuts. There she is lying on the sofa being a couch potato while you are running around trying to get your work done. Summer, for lots of moms, is more work when the kids are at home.
We don’t want our kids to be couch potatoes every day, so we may have a tendency to overschedule them. And if they are not busy all the time, it’s easy for moms to get resentful.
To get past your resentment, you need to remember what you loved about the summer when you were a teenager.
What was your summer like at 16? What I remember about being 16 is that I loved to sleep in and not have to deal with school. I loved chilling out and hanging out with my friends. I lived at the pool and loved going to the beach.
How about you?
What did you like to do? Can you recall any summer romances? What were your best times?
A few decades later, it’s completely different. You have different expectations.
You look forward to the summer for different reasons. You may sleep in a little, but you can’t stop your ‘home’ work or other work. You don’t have the luxury to chill and hang at the pool with your friends.
Still, the summer gives us a break. There is less pressure around time and schedules. You don’t have to herd your daughter all over town. Because there is less stress there is often less drama.
Make This Summer Count
Summer offers us a slower pace. Amazing things can happen when life slows down.
You’re right; you don’t want your daughter to be a 100% couch potato. If she gets too bored she will create her own excitement. You do want to find a balance of downtime and structured activities.
Take Advantage of Downtime
Believe it or not, your daughter doesn’t want to be on the sofa 24/7. She is there because she is completely bored.
Use this downtime as an opportunity to hang out with your daughter and get her off the couch.
How does your daughter define downtime?
Downtime is hanging out with nothing planned. It’s being spontaneous. You don’t have to do anything unless you want to. Though not much is going on it’s entertaining and fun. It’s all about being present, which makes it a great time to enjoy relationships.
There is value in downtime.
You are creating an environment that brings out both you and your daughter’s best and relaxed self. Downtime cultivates playfulness and laughter. Because of this, you are building a positive experience with your daughter.
However, moms miss this opportunity. Frequently we feel ‘hanging out’ is a waste of time.
But downtime is good for you too. When you are busy, downtime seems like a luxury you can’t afford. If you’re honest you are a little resentful of those who have time to just ‘hang out.’
Downtime is not a luxury. It is essential to your body, soul, mind, and spirit. It does miracles for your relationships.
Because of this, I believe it is the best investment of your time, and it costs a lot less than an expensive vacation.
This is your challenge.
Your daughter will approach you at an inconvenient time and you can see it as an opportunity or a nuisance.
Try taking 20 minutes and just hang out with your daughter. Let her lead. She may want to talk or have you look at a cute dress she found on the Internet.
This is an opportunity to connect with her. Even though it feels frivolous if you accept her casual invitation it’s opening a door to your daughter’s heart.
Downtime is where the magic happens., where she spontaneously tells you about her friends and who she has a crush on. You are building positive experiences with her.
You need downtime with your daughter. Take advantage of the slower pace of the summer to just hang out. In another month everything will start up again and you’ll be back to your packed (and stressful) days.