The Italians have an awesome concept known as “La Dolce Far Niente,” which means- the sweetness of doing nothing. If you remember Julia Roberts in the movie Eat, Pray, Love she discusses the idea of the sweetness of doing nothing. Basically, the idea of “doing nothing,” is actually an event in and of itself. It’s a pretty great concept, if you ask me!
I know most of us cannot simply quit our jobs and sit around all day, but think about how different would your quality of life be if you made time throughout the day to experience la dolce far niente? What if we no longer are bound to the hectic schedule of running from activity-to-activity from getting the kids ready for school, working ourselves to the bone, picking up the kids, cooking dinner, and rushing to get everyone ready for bed, only to sit in bed and mindlessly scroll through social media?
Instead of using your free moments to catch up on who is doing what on Facebook, binge watching an entire series on Netflix, instead of checking your email one last time before you fall asleep – What if you just simply did nothing?
For me, I’ll honestly admit, it’s a hard concept to sit and be still. But, I wanted to indulge my kids in the sweet satisfaction of doing nothing. I want them to actually enjoy summer, to not have to rush out the door in the morning, and to feel free from the routine. I am looking forward to a time to reconnect with my children, a time to slow down, and make memories together as a family.
HOW TO ENJOY A SLOW SUMMER
1. Be present – “Forget” to check your phone, leave the emails for tomorrow, and truly be present with your children this summer. These moments are for you to enjoy, too.
2. Don’t fill your time – Not everything needs to be scheduled. Leave time to enjoy nothing. Catch a sunset, cuddle with your family on the couch, and simply unwind while doing absolutely “nothing”.
3. Do something adventurous – One reason time goes slower for children is that everything is new. Their brains are processing oh-so-much new information, and all that activity keeps time from sliding by. Enjoy a new adventure together, whether that adventure is simply trying a new place for lunch, watching a flock of birds, or something bigger like an adventurous vacation to a new location.
4. Set screen time limits – This is a benefit for the entire family. Self explanatory!
5. GET OUTDOORS – Getting outside is, in my opinion, the best way to enjoy a slow summer. There’s so much to see and do, and fresh air to fill your lungs as you enjoy the outdoors. I’m trying my best to give our boys a slow summer experience filled with lots of unscheduled, unstructured time together.
Recently, we enjoyed taking the boys out on a boat and fishing for the very first time! They had an absolute blast and were asking when we could do it again before we even got off the boat. My husband’s father came with us, and it was a beautiful multi-generational afternoon.
You can see some of the highlights of our afternoon here:
Learn more about how you can enjoy a slow summer, and get your family out onto the water this summer from Discover Boating.
Read more at Wildly Charmed blog HERE.