I recently updated my Facebook Status with this:

I have loved our bedtime routine this week with the kids. Nice times…

I received a number of messages following this update. Many of the comments were from young mother’s asking me why I’m enjoying this time and what are we doing differently.

The answer is simple.

We {my hubby Philip and I} have always spent time with our kids getting them to bed, we have always read to our children or listened to them reading to us. We also pray with our children every night. These times are special. However, for whatever reason, we started to let these times ’slip’, ever so slightly. We found ourselves rushing through the bedtime routine, rather than savoring the moments and soaking up the time of laying in bed, talking, laughing, praying and simply listening. We were on fast forward. What caused us to unintentionally do this? I have no idea or explanation but for whatever reason it happened. We still spent time with them {at bedtime} but as I say, the fast forward button had been pressed.

Recently the fast forward button was turned off and we have returned to our ‘normal’ routine and it has been amazing.

We have been spending one hour putting out kids to bed at night and we both love it. We read, they read, they talk, we talk, we slowly make our way through the routine of jammies, teeth, hair and bed and the reward is beautiful.

This time is precious and both my husband and I have committed to never let it ’slip’ away again. Thankfully, we caught it quickly and made the necessary changes immediately. Through these times, another element of harmony has {once again} been added to our home and it’s not an element that I will let go of anytime soon.

Can I encourage you to engage with your children {whatever their age} at this time of the day. If your fast forward button is on switch it off and allow the minutes together to matter….. you won’t regret it. Just last night I was massaging my son and as he was drifting off to sleep, he muttered, ‘mum, you and dad are the best parents cause you care and you love us.’

In that moment I was reminded, once again, that the time we were spending was being spent in the right place. The laundry could wait, the dishes would still be there, the crumbs on the kitchen floor didn’t matter and my book club book could wait just a few more minutes. My lesson from last night is that Good Parenting = Time Spent Wisely = Good Parenting.

Enjoy your kids, they are only kids for such a short while.