Kylin's "Day Off"

Contrary to what you may read, I do love to be with my kids. Rich and I believe that our children should be a part of our daily lives, that it is very important that we are attached to each other, and that we can best teach through living and modeling. This path of parenting requires a great deal of patience, as I strive to constantly be connected to and in tune with my kids. It also requires that I am diligent about self-care and making sure that my cup is full so that I can be truly present for my children. To do this, we have instituted "Mom's Day Off", on which I am relieved of many of my duties and can focus on what I need as a person to feel whole and rejuvenated.

The idea of a "Day Off" really appealed to Kylin, and she decided that she, too, needed to take one. When asked what she would do on a hypothetical day off, she thought seriously, and replied that she would visit Toys R Us to pick out a toy, she would go to the library to get some books, and she would go out for lunch. This all sounded very doable to me, especially since Kylin had a gift card for Toys R Us that had been in my wallet for a couple of years.

The 4 of us had a wonderful day together, Kylin felt important and appreciative, and lunch was the only thing we spent money on!

I underestimated the boys' attention spans, assuming they would lose interest in this train table after a few minutes and be ready to move on. They played happily for at least 15 minutes, and I ended up having to pull them away so we could finish our trip. I am now searching craigslist for a train table. :)
A special treat: getting to ride the machine near the checkouts!
And, a giant gumball
Mmmmm...Lunch!
Another future baseball nut
Working on the summer reading program