Small moments

In this fast-paced, technology filled world it's so easy to get swept away and miss out on the important things in life.  The joy in this world is not heading up a major company, or getting top scores in a video game; it's in the small moments with your family.  These past few weeks have been super busy for our family between work, school, extra-curricular activities and other obligations.  So last night we declared a family night.  Everyone was home for a dinner as a family (no technology allowed) followed by a movie night.  All of that was nice and it helped us reconnect after a busy few weeks, but the best moment was after the movie when the end credits were rolling. 

Our young son was putting in his best effort to stall bedtime and found a sucker in his father.  He curled up with him on the couch and started telling a story...of course it was a hunting story because this five-year-old boy knows his audience and is a master at stalling bedtime (it's his superhero power)!  Thirty minutes into the story my husband realized that he was being used to get out of bed and the real fun began.  Out came the tickle monster and the two boys erupted in a fit of laughter together.  The image of those two running around the living room laughing and playing will live in my memory forever.  Especially the look on my husband's face when he caught on to the game and my son's face when he realized that he had been caught stalling.  I could have put my foot down ended the hunting story and gotten my son into bed on time, but I'm honestly glad that I didn't.  I sat back to see how long my son could carry on the charade and in return I received a special treat in that fun family moment.  Sure my son managed to stay up an hour and a half past his bedtime and he's a little cranky today, but the memory made last night is well worth a fussy kid for a day.

It's so easy to follow the clock, stick with our routines and fall into the trap of electronics and never-ending work.   I worry sometimes that families are becoming less of a priority and are falling victim to technology and outside commitments.  I'm going to keep last night at the forefront of my mind and do my best to make sure that we unplug for a day and just reconnect as a family as often as possible so that we don't lose sight of what is most important...the sheer joy in small moments with family.