I am a doer. I like to be accomplishing something at all times. I have my to-do list written out (most of the time) and I have a hard time sitting still.
So this book, Hands Free Mama, has been valuable for me. It reminds me of my priorities…what could be more important than my family? To be present to them is the most important thing of all!
So….be available to your children. Work hard on it. It will be the one thing that will matter most to you when you enter your golden years….that you have not put your dear ones on the back burner!
Here is an excerpt from Rachel’s book:
Are You Available?
by Rachel Macy Stafford, Hands Free Mama Blog: Hands Free Mama
When my daughter received the DVD boxed set of Little House on the Prairie for her birthday, I was nearly as excited as she was. Some of my fondest childhood memories involve cuddling with my family as life in Walnut Grove played out on a static-lined television screen.
Yet when I looked at the discs and realized there were forty-four Little House episodes, my first thoughts were very Non – Hands Free.
I looked at that collection of DVDs and saw forty-four opportunities to be otherwise highly productive. Although my inner drill sergeant doesn’t hold as much authority as it once did, that demanding voice of productivity and efficiency still tries to tempt me to the other side — straight into the arms of distraction.
Just think how much you could get accomplished while the girls watch Little House. They will not make a peep for the entire fifty-minute episode, and in that time you could easily knock several items off your to-do list!
But my Hands Free inner voice gently reminded me about what really mattered. This is your chance to sit your constantly moving body down on the couch, hold your daughters, and be a part of their world. Don’t blow it.
So after dinner the following Friday night, we put on our pajamas, popped popcorn, grabbed the softest blankets we own, and pushed the Play button on episode one, “A Harvest of Friends.” I was the first to find a spot on the couch.
And just as my backside hit the leather, my two children drew to my sides as if they were being sucked toward me by the world’s most powerful magnet. One child magnetized to my left, the other to my right.
Not even the tiniest popcorn kernel, should it fall from our hands, could come between this solid mass of togetherness.
Sit on the couch much, Rachel Stafford? I decided this was not the time to berate myself for not doing more couch time with my children.
It was time to enjoy this moment, the one I chose over dishes, laundry, writing, cleaning, emailing, or multitasking all five activities at once.
I had gotten this choice right. And I got the following forty-three consecutive episodes right too. I stayed true to the promise I made myself.
Little House means family time, and my children are fully aware and delighted that we do this together. For that fifty-minute period, I am not a moving target that my daughters have .01 percent percent chance of hitting.
Instead, I am available to sit there and simply love them. I don’t really like to think about it too much, but my older child will only live in my house for ten more years. Ten years. That’s nothing — the blink of an eye.
And if I continue darting about the house, going from one activity to the next for the remaining ten years, I can be sure of one thing: I will not hear my children’s thoughts, questions, revelations, troubles, or triumphs.
Because here’s some reality: No child wants to talk to the back of a parent’s head. No child wants to make an appointment to get a little of a parent’s time. No child wants to talk to a parent who can’t look up from distraction long enough to make eye contact.
Thanks to an experience shared by a blog reader, I’ve been given some insight about what children do want from a parent.
My eighteen-year-old son who left for college in August called me on Sunday night. After we had the “How are classes going?” conversation, the “How much money is in your account?” conversation, and the “Do you have any clean laundry?” conversation, he said, “I really miss you, Mom.”
I was thinking, Yes, I’m sure you do miss me — washing clothes and making dinner.
It was then that I asked him, “Oh, yeah, what do you miss about Mom?” His answer was simple, but it stunned me. “I miss just talking to you. You know, at the end of the day, when we were both home . . . I miss talking to you.”
Before I knew it, I was crying. Of all the things I had done for him as his mom, the thing he missed the most was talking to me.
A few days after reading this, I was gathering activities for Avery to do while we sat at Natalie’s swim meet. Normally I would have packed my writing folder, but it struck me that maybe this was not an opportunity to check something off the list . . . maybe this was an opportunity to be available.
I left my work at home and instead brought a few of my daughter’s favorite books and a snack to share.
Avery spent a lot of the time just sitting on my lap — a lap that, for once, was empty. We had the most wonderful conversation and snuggle time.
As my legs grew numb under the weight of her body, she turned to me and said nine of the most blessed words I have heard since beginning my journey to live Hands Free. “This is the kind of mom I always wanted.”
By “this” I knew exactly what she meant.
Present
Attentive
Still
Available
Available
Completely available to love her.
“So even if he’s around most every day, why not light up when he walks in the room? Tell him how handsome he’s looking today…. How glad you are to see him. A big hug and maybe a bit more. Put on your sweet face and say nice things. Be like a breath of fresh air to him.” – Lisa Jacobson, 100 Way to Love Your Husband https://amzn.to/2tyHWTp (afflink)
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We should get used to extracting from ordinary day-to-day life whatever can increase our joy, rest, and legitimate satisfaction, and whatever can fill us with optimism. There is a thrill of joy and satisfaction in the thought that we are the objects of God’s love and can ourselves sincerely love Him…
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I pray that by some miracle of God’s Grace, my dil will come across the hands free book or blog. I cannot pass this on to her without implying judgement. Very good information. Thank you 😊
I have been in the hospital in KCK for the past five days, with a blood infection the doctors are doing battle with in my behalf. The beginning time here was suffering requiring much patience, pain, I was incoherent, lethargic and a few other negatively descriptive things, all physically. While enduring them, it helped me to compare them to Christ’s suffering, which diminished my own and helped me to then lay these little things at the feet of His Mother for her to arrange into a little gift to unite with His Most Precious gift.
Now that I am getting better, I am using this time in the hospital as reflection and retreat time. I have been weepy in my reflections, so listening to your video of the readings of Fr. Irala was just the spiritual “shot in the arm” that I needed at this very moment!! I am very grateful that Our Lord brought me to this website and this video today. I will be listening again today so it will sink in better. Isn’t it amazing how The Holy Spirit sends the wisdom and understanding at just the right time! Thank you for being a vessel to bring these greatly needed messages of hope and help Leanne, may Our Lord Bless you👼!
I am very sorry you have been struggling so much! Thank goodness you are on the mend! 🙏🏻
And you’re most welcome. 💕
A very good reminder for busy moms, makes me think too, what am I missing out on work my kids while they are little?