One Simple Tip to Be More Present With Your Kids


One Simple Tip to Be More Present with Your Kids ยฉ Asia Yakushevich/Dollar Photo Club

The scene: Me playing in the backyard with my 3-year-old.

The game: Hide and seek.

The ideal: My attention fully engaged on my child and our play. 

The reality: When it was my turn to close my eyes and count to ten, I secretly whipped out my phone to check tomorrow’s to-do list and mentally plan out my day.

I wish I could say this was the exception and not the norm, but the truth is that I have a lot of trouble staying present when I’m with my children. 

By nature I have a hyperactive brain, one that doesn’t like to shut down or shut up. I struggle with mental mom clutter nearly every day. And it gets in the wayโ€ฆa lot.

I’ve come to realize that, for me, the issue manifests itself in a single questionโ€”one that I mentally ask myself over and over again, day after day.

It’s a question that keeps me focused on the future instead of the now.

It’s a question that keeps me from staying present with my kids.

I ask myself: What’s next? 

One Simple Tip to Be More Present With Your Kidsยฉ ellisia/Dollar Photo Club

Yes, it’s a simple questionโ€”all of two wordsโ€”but in my case it’s a damaging one. Consider these scenarios:

  • While reading my son a bedtime story, I think, What’s next? Now my brain is thinking about the dishes in the sink, the laundry in the dryer, and the lunches that need to be packedโ€”instead of what’s going to happen to Curious George.
  • As I struggle to cradle my 3-month-old and play on the floor with my preschooler at the same time, I ask myself, What’s next? I find myself longing for the day when she can sit up on her ownโ€”but do I really want to wish away the time like that? 
  • It’s Saturday, and suddenly I let myself think, What’s next? I realize the upcoming week is filled with busy workdays and even busier evenings, so I spend the whole afternoon preparingโ€”instead of enjoying what time I do have with my family all together.

So in an effort to focus more fully on what’s right in front of me, I’m trying really hard to ban the question of What’s next? from my brain when I’m with my kids. 

Because honestly, we’ll get there whether I think it through or not. We’ll make it to bath time and bedtime; we’ll get to crawling and standing and walking. The busy days and nights will come and we’ll survive them.

Sure, it might not happen as smoothly or efficiently if I don’t plan it out ahead of time, but maybe it will happen with a little more joy and a little less stress. Maybe I’m willing to give up smoothness and efficiency in the name of being more present with my children.

So the next time I’m out in the backyard playing hide-and-seek and my mind wanders to What’s next? I’m going to squash the thought right there.

Because what happens next doesn’t matter nearly as much as what’s happening right now.


Do you ever struggle to stay present when you’re with your children?


6 responses to “One Simple Tip to Be More Present With Your Kids”

  1. I think as moms, we always try to squeeze one more thing in, to stay organized and get it all done. But we miss other things if we’re doing that. I’ve really had to re-evaluate and think about how I was spending my time when my children were home. It’s definitely a struggle, but I’m working on staying in the moment. Thanks for this post!!

  2. This is definitely me! I’m battle PND and anxiety, ive come so far but always thinking head is what causes my anxiety. I’m trying my hardest to stay more in the moment and essentially get into the same mind frame of my 8month old.

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