Simple Pleasures & Ordinary Days

Somedays, I wish I could jump into a time machine, travel forward a few decades, and sit for a while as I watch how my life unfolded. 

I’d wonder thoughts such as did we serve others and not just look out for our own interests? Did we ever reach that desired number of subscribers on our blog? Had we made it back to visit our favorite spots in the English countryside? Did we ever build our dream home? And did our toddler son grow up to keep his gorgeous curly blonde hair?!

But some of the most important questions I’d want to know the answers to revolve around how I endured the seasons of parenthood. 

Had I met the difficulties of raising young kids well? Was I patient during trials? Was I an example of a parent who knew what she believed and lived it with devotion each day? 

Try as we might, we’re not in control of our future. That’s a hard pill to swallow, especially as a parent. But thankfully, there are things we can do each day that contribute to how well we live this one life we’re given.

When my life is through on this earth, I don’t want to look back with regrets about how I spent my days as a parent. I don’t want to wish I spent more time playing with my kids, or telling them more made-up stories, or giving them more affection. 

I want to live these days well, enjoying life alongside my children and appreciating the simple joys that they bring. 

Enjoy your days, not just your routines 

Many days, our routine looks similar. Breakfast and chores upon waking up. Homeschooling and co-op. Outside adventures. Trips to Grandma’s. Lunch and afternoon quiet time. More playing, reading books, and riding bikes. Then closing the day with storytime and bedtime. 

Squeezed in between those typical events are moments of instilling valuable virtues, settling sibling squabbles (over and over again!), and answering the never-ending questions of life.  

But I don’t want to spend our days together as one big to-do list, merely checking items off my list as they come. 

Give the kids a snack, check. Baths before bed, check. Completed another day of homeschool, check. 

So how do we instill moments of beauty into our days so that we’re not just “getting through” them and onto the next season? How do we create enjoyable memories for not only ourselves but also our children too, while showing them that even though being a parent is challenging and demanding, there’s still so much joy to be found? 

 Look for the simple joys

There’s countless parenting blogs and podcasts with noteworthy advice on how to raise children and thrive as parents. But from one parent to another, there’s a simple truth that I strive to follow each day. It’s a mindset that I’ve applied to these seasons of parenthood that has given me great rewards. 

Find life’s simple joys and do them often.

By this, I mean finding those enjoyable moments (for both yourself and your kids) and filling your days with them as often as possible. Additionally, I then follow the opposite and avoid opportunities (as much as possible) that add unneeded stress to our lives. 

Things such as taking the kids out to a restaurant by myself, grocery shopping, visiting a gigantic playground, or even playing with dolls together on the floor tend to be ones that I steer clear of. 

As fun as they each may sound, there are aspects within each one of them that don’t add value and joy to our days, but rather stress, overwhelm, and some forced merriment when asked to pretend to be the sister while playing with dolls (I will agree to play dolls occasionally, but it’s not an activity that I particularly enjoy!). 

Childhood should be filled with opportunities to be creative, learn new things, and go on adventures, but each day doesn’t need to be a “magical” experience to be enjoyed. I can’t do everything, and expect to do everything well, so there has to be a healthy balance between chaos and routine, while also teaching my children the value of adapting to other people’s desires.

I fill our days with activities that are simple yet plentiful in enjoyment and do them often, while occasionally adding variety within each of them to sprinkle in novelty. This creates healthy expectations, a safe environment, and the optimal amount of adventure needed. 

Visiting familiar playgrounds– When my kids know the boundaries and are able to run and play where I can see them, a familiar, easy to navigate playground is one of our favorite places to visit. 

Exploring nature– I love being in nature, but instead of expecting my kids to hike for several miles without complaining, we choose to do short nature walks with a goal in mind. Many times I’ll make up a scavenger hunt, give them bags to collect “treasures”, or find huge rocks to climb on. 

Baking just for fun– Baking with kids is sometimes a tricky thing to do, but when it’s just for fun with no expectation of the end results looking a certain “Pinterest perfect” way, it’s a great way to spend time together and a valuable life skill to learn. 

Reading good books– Whether it’s a book they’ve heard dozens of times, or a brand new one from the library, sitting and reading together is one of our favorite things to do. It provides a calm experience and teaches them about the adventures they can go on themselves. 

Having tea parties– One of my daughter’s favorite things to do is set the table with tea cups, candles, flowers, and of course treats or snacks. Occasionally, I’ll surprise her and put on a fancy dress. It’s such a simple event to do and is always so meaningful to her. 

Camping in our backyard– Maybe one day we’ll be brave enough to camp on a mountain with the kids, but for now one way to create a similar experience (without all the planning and traveling) is by setting up the tent in our backyard. We make it a special time by building a campfire, roasting hot dogs and s’mores, and staying up to catch fireflies. 

Picnics at the local park– Taking our lunch outdoors to a park closeby is a way that adds a lot of excitement to the warmer months of the year. I pack the kids’ lunch boxes (I recommend these!), load up the stroller, and we walk to the park down the street for a picnic. 

Playing in the creek– This activity is one of our favorite family traditions and always provides so much enjoyment. It’s a great learning experience too. The kids dress in swimsuits and water shoes, bring along a bag to collect items, and have so much fun splashing and exploring this ecosystem. 

Being a parent isn’t trouble-free, but when you rely on simple, meaningful, easy to execute memories to fill your days, it creates a less overwhelming approach to parenting and many shared memories that form the bedrock of the relationship.