As summer winds down and our hybrid school routine looms on the horizon, I’ve been intentional about carving out days for Lucy’s imagination to lead the way. One day a week, she gets to choose what we do (among mom-approved options, of course 😉), and we follow her lead.
This week, I was fully expecting the zoo to win out…but she surprised me by choosing something far simpler: a picnic at the park. At first, I was caught off guard. But then it struck me—she wasn’t really choosing between animals and sandwiches. She was choosing connection.
So, we made it special. She insisted on creating a checklist of everything we needed for our picnic (and yes, she inherited that list-making love straight from her mom and dad 😆). We checked off each item as we packed the basket, and then we headed out to find the perfect spot.
Once we spread the blanket and unpacked our goodies, my suspicion was confirmed. While nibbling her peanut butter sandwich, Lucy plunked herself right into my lap. No words, just presence. She didn’t need anything grand—just the closeness of sitting in my lap, being kissed between bites of bread and peanut butter.
It was such a beautiful reminder: sometimes our kids don’t want big, flashy adventures. Sometimes they just want us. Our time. Our attention. Our presence.
This is where I want to challenge parents: don’t stop at the “what.” Get curious about the “why.” Because if I had gotten caught up in packing the basket, finding the perfect spot, and fussing over the details, I might have missed the point completely. Lucy didn’t want a zoo or even a picnic. She wanted me. Connection.
When we take the time to think through our kids’ choices, it opens up a world of communication…or sometimes, cuddles. And those cuddles? They are the real gift.
Summer may be slipping away, but these little moments—these are the ones that root themselves in our hearts forever. 💛
Raising Light 