Just the other morning, my son paused to give our dog some affection, right as I turned to remind him (yet again) that we needed to leave. I had a few errands to run before dropping him off at school, and I felt the familiar rush that overtakes me every morning. You know how it is: racing against the clock, trying to fit everything in, and staying on top of the relentless daily grind.
Constantly being in this whirlwind can wear us down as parents, leaving us irritable and overwhelmed, often without understanding why the joy has evaporated from our day. Many of us juggle work, school, volunteering, and the precious time spent with family and alone. It’s all too easy to plan an enjoyable day, only to watch it unravel due to the chaos of life. Our minds race, and we can’t seem to focus on the present because we are distracted by a million other things clamoring for our attention.
That morning, I observed my son joyfully petting our aging dog, blissfully unaware of the minutes slipping away. He didn’t know I was multitasking — double-checking the fridge and cleaning the counters. He had no concept of the grocery store run I felt was essential or that I was still tidying up from dinner the night before.
In that moment, a realization struck me: those errands were far less important than the time spent with our beloved dog, who may not be with us much longer. My son was fully immersed in that moment, something I had neglected in my rush to check items off my to-do list.
So, I decided to stop what I was doing and join him on the floor. An inner voice urged me to “slow down,” and I heeded it. We sat together, showering love on our furry friend.
There are times when it’s perfectly acceptable to set aside what we think are pressing matters — errands, punctuality, and productivity — to focus on what truly counts. Sometimes, it’s fine to be late because your child wants to pick the first spring flower or watch a train pass by.
What will we remember in life? The frantic hustle to complete tasks, or the moments when our children wanted to pause and savor something that brought them joy? The goal isn’t to raise inconsiderate kids who disregard others’ time. I don’t want them to grow up thinking it’s acceptable to make people wait because they’re engaging in something they find more important. However, I do want them to understand that it’s sometimes necessary to take a moment to breathe and appreciate life’s little joys, as we never know how long they’ll be available to us.
That day, I chose to skip the grocery store and arrived a few minutes late for school. While I don’t make a habit of being late, I also don’t want to teach my kids that living in the moment is not okay. I realized I had been failing them by not allowing enough space in their schedules for those unexpected, delightful moments, and I hadn’t been doing it for myself either. Shame on me.
That morning marked a turning point. I committed to creating room for all of us to enjoy spontaneous, unplanned moments without the worry of being late. Being late doesn’t have to be a negative, and that day proved it. Since allowing us more freedom to just be, I’ve noticed a positive shift in my children and myself: more hugs, greater appreciation, and extra time to reflect on how fortunate we truly are. And if being late happens now and then? So be it.
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Summary
Embracing moments of spontaneity and slowing down can lead to richer family experiences. While it’s easy to get caught up in the rush of daily life, sometimes being late is a small price to pay for cherishing the fleeting joys of life.
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