IN Sewickley Spring 2018 | Page 15

INDUSTRY INSIGHT PARENTING SPONSORED CONTENT Ways to Make More Time for Your Family T  ime, or the lack of it, drives many of us to live at a frantic pace. There is an enormous cost to being in a chaotic rush each day. This year, renew your commitment to begin family traditions that make room for you to experience the true joy of family life. 1 Practice making choices by limiting after-school/work activities. 2 Use a family-oriented calendar system to track each family member’s schedule and important reference information. 3 Turn off the TV to allow more time for reading, talking, playing and learning. 4 Enjoy food and meals together by making dinner “an oasis in time,” without interruption. 5 Make a weekly meal mandatory for everyone in the family to share. 6 Claim a tree or outdoor area as a spot to visit regularly to read together. 7 Cook double the quantity needed, to save or freeze half for another night. 8 Participate in outdoor activities as a family; for example, picking apples, hiking or riding bikes. 9 Get enough sleep to help you feel rested and calm. 10 Specify a night to spend at home to eat pizza, play games and talk. “Parents fight a daily battle as they try not only to meet all their responsibilities for work, caregiving, and housework, but also to hold on to a few crumbs of time they call their own,” says Kerry Daly, professor at the University of Guelph, in his paper “It Keeps Getting Faster: Changing Patters of Time in Families.” Time is your family’s most precious non-renewable resource. Make the most of this component that magically turns a collection of individuals into a stronger, more robust group of people. This Industry Insight was co-authored by the owners of The Goddard Schools located in Moon Township & Wexford. Dina Speranza & Carol Maier (left) are the owners of The Goddard School ® located at 800 Commerce Avenue in Moon Township. Mark & Jennifer Rebstock (right) are the owners of The Goddard School ® located at 3000 Brooktree Road, Wexford. Goddard offers both full- and part-time infant/toddler/preschool/kindergarten programs. For more information, visit www.goddardschool.com. SEWICKLEY ❘ SPRING 2018 13