Yes, I admit it. And I know this goes against every life quote, guru, and meditation out there. Today’s narrative tells you to design your life so it’s not something you need to escape from on the weekends.

I get that. To a point.

I certainly don’t want all of my joy relegated to 48 hours a week. But I do like that tick of excitement when Fridays roll around.

That tick comes from the transition. The change from the normal routine. Monday through Friday we have one routine. Zach goes to work. Bennet and I have our mix of daycare/work and time together. Mornings are getting dressed right away, breakfast, and out the door. Evenings we come back together around 5pm: hang out, eat dinner, bath, books, bed. And repeat.

Weekends are different. We stay in pajamas most of the morning, decide what we’re going to do on a whim, and naptimes/bedtimes are a little more flexible.

When I first became a mother, there wasn’t much difference between a Thursday and a Saturday. My responsibilities and routines were the same. One day bled into the next. While some may say I reached nirvana by finding the same joy throughout the week and not needing an escape, I found I missed that Friday excitement. I missed the change, the transition from the standard routine.

It’s one of the reasons I love seasons so much. You need a gray, snowy day to really appreciate the heat of summer. And you need a scorching, hot day to appreciate the coolness of fall. I grew up in Florida. And while it was great to go to the beach in February, all that sameness cost you the excitement that comes from a seasonal transition.

There is power in a transition. It’s exciting. It wakes you up. Reminds you that you’re alive and there’s so much you can do in this life.

That power is given to each and every parent. As soon as you meet your baby you’ve entered an incredible transition. One that keeps changing on your daily!

I’ve found parents tend to enter one of three camps:

  1. They become overwhelmed by the constant changes. Life is chaotic, terrifying, and overwhelming. They slog through years 0 - 5 with wild eyes just hoping to survive.
  2. They try to control all the transition by keeping their days the same. All of them. This repetitiveness is comforting. But they’ve sacrificed the spark, the excitement, the bit that reminds them that they are alive and have immense power to do anything they are called to during this time.
  3. They embrace the transition and all that change. They do it by creating those routines that provides the control needed to get through each day and they allow themselves the grace to roll with the changes. To get excited for the days they can throw the routines aside. Yes, they’ve found the sweet spot.

Which camp sounds like you? Do you slide between one or two depending on the situation? Would you like to spend more time in camp 3? Where can you add more routine and/or loosen your grip of control?

These are magical years you’re living in. And it’s about more than just your experience as a parent. It’s your experience of your whole self. What have you been dreaming of? Use the power of these transitional years to make it happen. You have what it takes!