I'm learning how to take advantage of the "in-betweens". The little bits of time while waiting for something... the school bus, the water to boil - that sort of thing. Those few minutes here and there that often go unnoticed and unaccounted for. The difficult thing is, the exact length of time is usually unpredictable - the school bus might be early or late. At the same time, the informality of these bits of time can be a powerful thing. Last Thursday, my son and I talked a bit about mean kids and why they are like that. His bus was running late, and the subject just popped up. I find this subject rather difficult and awkward - I never know what's the right thing to say. But during those extra minutes, I didn't stress about the perfect parenting... we just talked, while waiting for the bus.
In these little tidbits of time I find myself scribbling on random pieces of paper, looking through the newspaper, making daily list of chores for the kids...
Here are a few more micro-tasks that come to mind:
- Ask kids what they think about xyz
- Play with kids
- Mini-cleanup
- Send quick emails or texts
- Take a couple of pictures
- Look through Science or Nature headlines
- Look around and enjoy the current season
- Pull weeds
Maybe best of all, these in-betweens can be for daydreaming... ahh, the joys of daydreaming!
These little moments, they are like gifts - often unexpected and can be very pleasant.
What do you do while waiting for the bus?
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