🍃Sometimes as a mom we think we need to have it all figured out. We are responsible for raising our children and we are called to lead them. While I agree we are called to guide our children it’s really an amazing experience when we let go of the reins sometimes.
Our children are incredibly intuitive and being that they are still young and have little life experience that affects their thoughts, feelings and emotions they have this deeper connection to their true self and their needs. They have an approach to life that us as parents could learn from.
🍃One particular evening my youngest wanted to go for a walk, it was getting close to dinner time and my initial thought was we don’t really have time. But, I love walking so I agreed to go for a walk before dinner. She packed a little bag and had our walking adventure all planned out. We set off on our walk and she lead the way. We got to a bench along the path and she said she wanted to stop and sit for a bit and relax. She then unpacked her bag which included nature journals and coloring supplies, she wanted to sit and observe nature and write in our journals.
After we sat for a while she decided to keep walking, we wondered through the neighborhood observing the trees and birds and had such sweet conversations. Although my stomach was getting hungry and the sun was setting, I didn’t want this time to end because it was so peaceful and special.
After a busy day of homeschooling and housework I deeply wanted to relax and she knew exactly what I needed! Seeing her peaceful demeanor and deep connection to the nature around her it was incredibly powerful to witness her cup being filled as well as my own. We both returned home so refreshed and relaxed it really made me realize that our kids can be a great influence on us when we let them lead. Sometimes they know what we need before we ourselves even realize it.
🍃Children live slowly. Not out of defiance or distraction, but because they are wired for wonder. They do what makes them happy and feel at peace, and their approach to life can help us as moms live the same way, if we allow ourselves to follow their way of living. Not always, I mean we can’t lay on the floor kicking and screaming in the middle of a store when things don’t go our way .. or “hey”, why not maybe it will relieve some built up stress. What I’m talking about is their natural approach in doing things that bring them peace and joy.
Just because we are moms and have lots of responsibilities that doesn’t mean we need to brush aside our own needs and happiness. It doesn’t mean we must only be focused on productivity. God didn’t create us so we could go through life like lifeless robots. We have phases in life that we may feel like we are in survival mode just trying to get through the day. But overall, we are supposed to enjoy our life on earth.
🍃So today I want to talk about building margin in our days as parents.
Building margin into our days means choosing not to fill every moment, leaving room for the slow, meandering rhythm that children naturally live by. It means loosening the grip of the clock and allowing ourselves to be led sometimes, rather than always leading.
As parents, we often feel the pressure to keep things moving. But what if, instead of always pulling our kids forward, we let ourselves be drawn into their rhythm? When we slow down we can enjoy little moments with our children that otherwise we might feel too overwhelmed to stop and appreciate. Kids naturally live at this more relaxed pace. They dawdle as they get ready to leave the house, they admire rocks they see on the ground, small simple things grab their attention. When we follow their lead we can appreciate simple aspects of life rather than their slowness making us feel anxious because we are convinced we don’t have time for what has their attention. It’s in those unhurried moments that we often see our children most clearly—and ourselves most compassionately.
🍃When we allow their pace to influence ours, we’re not falling behind—we’re finding a more grounded way to move through life.
🍃5 Ways to create margin in life as a parent :
- Schedule buffer time. Don’t just plan to arrive on time. Build in 10–15 minutes of wiggle room so you’re not always in “hurry up” mode.
- Resist the urge to rush transitions. Give space for your child to settle into (and out of) activities with gentleness.
- Look for moments of wonder. Let yourself be pulled into their curiosity—whether it’s a bug on the ground, a question about clouds, or a funny noise they heard.
- Protect downtime. Not every minute needs to be productive. Let there be stretches of time that are free to be whatever they become.
- Follow their lead sometimes. Let your child choose the walk route. Sit with them while they play. Say yes to the detour in your plans for the day!
🍃Margin is what gives us the freedom to kneel down and watch a worm crawl across the pavement without feeling like we’re “losing time.” It’s what makes room for the extra bedtime story, the kitchen dance party, the deep conversation that starts just as we’re heading out the door.
One of the most powerful things we can do for ourselves—and our children—is to build margin into our days. Not just time to get from point A to B, but space that allows for slowness, spontaneity, and connection. Margin in our days allows for life to unfold as God intended for us that day.
🍃When we follow our children’s pace of life, even briefly, we’re reminded that life is not a checklist. It’s a series of moments to notice, feel, and savor. So let’s give ourselves permission to slow down. To breathe. To walk at their pace every now and then.
🍃Because in doing so, we aren’t just giving our children a better version of us—we’re receiving a better version of life in return.