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Time Bandits

Spring forward/Fall back… that is the only way that I can remember what direction to turn my clock when we switch from Daylight to Standard time. This Sunday we will do just that and you will gain an hour of sleep. YAY, for those of you whose kids are 8 and older. Boo, for those of you whose kids are younger than 8. Moving the clocks can be a nightmare for families with younger children. The kids do not know how to regulate their bodies and do not have the tools to change their body clocks and adjust. Thus, many families will not reap the benefits of an extra hour of sleep. In the worst cases we see that it really hurts the sleep patterns of kids and families for a few weeks.

I feel for those families and any other families that are going through change. I know that change is a given in life but it also comes at a cost. Lost time, sleep, energy, focus can all be byproducts of that change. If there is anything that we have learned in the past couple years it’s that change is inevitable. It is how we respond to the change that can make the experience a nightmare or a dream.

The same is true of our parenting. We are trying so hard to make sure that our kids embody the values that we hold dear and go into the world with Jesus. The focus needed to make that happen requires us to adjust our time, energy, sleep, prayers, and even our own actions so that our kids see in us what we want for them. As this article says, “there is no formula for this.” You and I have to live our faith in front of and with our kids. It is a process that changes over time and one that invites us to thrive so that they might thrive as well.  As our own Kara Powell would say, “Parenting is a mutual journey of intentional growth both for ourselves and our children that trusts God to transform us all.”

So, this Sunday, get ahead of it. Plan to get up with your kids, take advantage of the extra time and enjoy these moments because they disappear so quickly.

Blessings
Chuck Hunt
Associate Pastor of Family Ministries