We live in a world today that is constantly on the move.
Running children here and there, shuffling schedules and multi-tasking more than ever! 
We get so accustomed to this way of living that we forget how to just BE.
Quiet time for kids is very important!
We all talk about what we’d do if we had an empty schedule, no plans, can you imagine? Well, this is hard to come by. Not at all impossible though. You have to pick a date and time, put it on your schedule and plan for it. Make quiet time just as important as you would any other appointment.
Quiet time, down time, me time, margarita time….whatever you want to call it, just do!
It is so beneficial for you and your kiddos. Everybody need a reset once in awhile. Quiet time for kids can be a variety of things, but they must UNPLUG. It is impossible to relax if cell phones are chirping, the TV is on and the stereo is blaring. As I am known to say in my house when I have had enough of the noise, “shut it down!”
When you have down time on the schedule, you won’t have to be the scary mommy. Everybody will know in advance and hopefully, the start of quiet time won’t involve any stressful outbursts.
Quiet time for children doesn’t have to be perfectly quiet and it doesn’t have to be alone.
Depending on the age of people involved, it will differ. Babies and toddlers may play with blocks or legos, which can be noisy. You may start an art project. Your kids might play a board game or build a fort! I love to play in my garden, dig in the dirt.
A lot of us just want to read a good book, if we have the time.
If your kids aren’t used to quiet time, it may be a challenge for them at first. If they haven’t had time in the past for much reading, they might not know what to read during down time. This can make what is supposed to be relaxing, a stressor instead.
Have a good assortment of popular books for kids on hand.
Take a trip to the bookstore or library and stock up. For toddlers, keep board books on a shelf they can easily reach. It is fun for them to get their own books! Quiet time for babies and toddlers is important for brain development. Everything is new to them.
Overstimulation makes it difficult for them to process what is going on. It is much harder for them to learn when they are forced to focus on multiple things. This rings true for teens and adults alike.
The ability to focus and concentrate is altered when we are pulled in several directions.
When you learn how to truly focus on one task, such as reading, you can focus better on other tasks. Overall, your children’s concentration and focusing will improve, when they have more downtime.
Our brain is a muscle, it needs exercise too. Sitting down with a good book is relaxing. You have a chance to regenerate and unwind. For just a little bit, you can forget about some of the worries. You can also use this time to reflect on things.
Think about the positive things you are blessed with. All of this can greatly improve your outlook and level of happiness.
DISCLAIMER!! Your kid may be more creative!
Reading is known to make kids more creative, it gets their little brains excited! Reading makes you more curious, curiosity leads to creativity.
Frequently after my kids read a good book, they are inspired to make something. This may involve a giant fort like in the Magic Treehouse or making potions from Harry Potter. We go through a lot of food coloring and random ingredients with some of the creations.
My daughter and her friends have played Warrior Cats outside many times. They go on scavenger hunts like they are in The Hunger Games. A few years ago, my daughter had an epic Harry Potter birthday.
I even once started writing poetry, because I was so inspired by some poetry I had read. I was terrible, but that’s not the point.
Reading can build confidence in children and self-esteem too!
The Little Engine that Could….see? Even books for babies instill confidence and independence! Books from Giraffes Can’t Dance, to The Hunger Games are all about overcoming obstacles. Both my kids loved the book Holes and Wonder, very inspirational books for tweens.
One of my favorite books is The Glass Castle. This is a true story about an amazing woman, with more challenges growing up than I could ever imagine. Percy Jackson, the underdog who becomes the hero!
Inspirational books for all levels of reading are everywhere you turn!
I hope I inspired you to take on this challenge! Carve out some quiet time this week, put it on your crazy schedule! Give your family plenty of notice, and fill up your bookshelves.
Have fun with it, and enjoy the peacefulness. Hope you have an awesome week!
Read on my friends, Kris 🙂