Friday was a good day. Although it started straightforward enough, my plans were busier than usual. Not only did we have schoolwork to accomplish and work to do, it was also laundry day and I wanted to vote early.

After breakfast, the kids sorted laundry while I prepared for a teleconference. With that call over, we loaded up in the car, got coffee, and drove to the library to vote. We had plenty of work to be done back at the house, but I asked Benedict to take a few extra minutes to show me the robotics lab that he always raved about.

Arriving back at the house, it was nearly 10:30am. Still plenty of time left to get good work done before lunch, but we were having mild weather, so instead I sent the four kids into the backyard for recess while I worked at my desk.

At noon, the first load of laundry was done, so I made lunch and folded clothes while they ate. Usually after lunch comes more work and nap time, but instead we went for a 20-minute walk around the trails in our neighborhood.

Back at the house, it was 1:30pm, the littlest went down for her nap, school assignments were handed out, and I logged back into my computer. We worked for almost three hours before family reading time, a quiet cap to our busy day. With that done, I sent the children downstairs to watch their new *Rocky and Bullwinkle* DVD while I finished my work for the afternoon.

After dinner, the sun still hadn’t set, so we walked to the playground for a few more minutes of play, another lap on the trails and back to the house for bedtime.

Every day is not like this. Our school assignments and my workload ebbs and flows, but Friday was a good reminder for me that there are more important things. My children need to complete their school assignments, but they don’t have to do them between set hours or certain days. School is essential; so is being outside, imaginative play, and family exercise.

Every day won’t be like last Friday, but perhaps more should be.

Tags: Parenting