Why a day of rest is crucial to your week

No one has time to rest. Especially for a whole day. Every week.

A day of rest in this fast, modern lifestyle is old-fashioned and out of style.

However, after a week of going several different directions at several different (usually fast) speeds, a day of rest is what everyone needs.

A weekly day of rest is something to make time for.

 

This day of rest can be done in several different ways. The “activities” or agenda of what you can/cannot do are not the focus, though they have the potential to make a day of rest successful or not.

Connection must be the end goal of this day of rest and for this reason, this day of rest needs to happen for the health and strength of the family.

A day of rest is . . .

. . . a day different from the rest of the week.

. . . a day of connection with self, others in close community, and God.

. . . a day of relaxing, not mindless-disconnection or entertainment.

. . . a day to say “yes” to values and who you are as a family.

. . . a day to anticipate.

 

This day is not a crash after six hectic days, but a launching pad from which the following week will spring. A time to give thanks and to review. A time to plan ahead and dream. A time to slow down, perhaps, but in order to touch base with those others you are in life with. Connection takes time. Intentional time, and this day can be that time as a family to give voice to the value of family in a powerful, tangible way.

Mrs. Bhaer, Maiden of Plumfield in the book Little Men, explains to her newest resident the importance of their day of rest: “‘I want my boys to love Sunday, to find it a peaceful, pleasant day, when they can rest from common study and play, yet enjoy quiet pleasures, and learn in simple ways, lessons more important than any taught in school.’” It is an uncommon day, but not a day void of meaning. It is perhaps, as Mrs. Bhaer suggests, the most important lessons we could learn.

 

You must make time for this weekly rest.

What you don’t invest in the health and strength of your family today may cause lots of “unrest” your family doesn’t have time for later, and probably in a much less enjoyable (but perhaps a more demanding) manner.

 

Invest in this weekly time of rest. The more you put in to it this week, the more you will reap from it in years to come. Strengthen your family

 

 

 

Schedule in your weekly rest: questions to discuss to assist your rest-day success.

(Make sure both parents are on board to incorporate new schedule changes or the success might be hard to come by. Discussions are a great way to begin.)

 

How much does connection mean to you? What are you willing to sacrifice to accomplish it?

How does a day of rest contribute to the health of your family?

How does a day of rest contribute to the strength of your family?

 

Which day works best for your family?

How does each family member feel connected?

One way to discuss this is to start with the statement: I feel connected when . . .

Do you need to receive help in connecting with each other?

If so, what resources would be helpful for both discussion and silly connection)?

What boundaries need to be put in place? (ex: stay at home, no technology/entertainment, limit/include other people, schedule in "free play" for everyone without agenda)

Is there a family project you could work on?

A neighbor you could assist together? (ex: stain a fence, rake a yard)

A house project you could accomplish together? (Bonus: it becomes a monument of what you did together to help the family!)

A fun, “unnecessary” project to collaborate and create together? (ex: like a squirrel playground.)

What could be something special to highlight this day you use every week to gain excitement? (ex: special clothing or certain walk)