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You’re probably thinking, what are you talking about with these random titles? Well, this title is not original. Someone told me this idea when the kids were very little, something that I’ve kind of mentioned in passing, but I decided to dedicate an entire episode to it because this helps me so much to stay present and focused and engage with my kids.
Basically, from birth to age 18, your child will be under your care for about 940 weeks. If we assume the average lifespan of a human being is 100 years, and round this time spent at home up to 20 years (for ease of math), that’s TWENTY PERCENT. These are the formative years that influence your child’s experience for many years afterward.
The days may seem to crawl at a snail’s pace, but the years will fly by. You may be tempted to stretch yourself to meet unrealistic outcomes like “my child has to be happy all the time” or “I have to be happy all the time.” RESIST this temptation and do not dwell on it, because again, it’s a wholly unrealistic outcome. Everybody has their own 50/50 of good and not-so-good.
I’ve set countdown timers on my phone for my children’s “coming of age” 940th-Saturday moments in just a few years. Whatever they choose to do with themselves —whether it’s college, technical school, or leaping straight into a profession — my goal is to make the NOW count in their favor by giving them the tools and strategies they need to be mentally and emotionally healthy adults.
Now, your mileage may vary with the “940 Saturdays” concept. If this helps you be present, use it; and if it doesn’t help, don’t use it. But in any case, make the choice to savor the good times you experience together — and when things get tough, know that it’s NORMAL, and neither you nor your child are broken. Choose to be present. Choose to drop your unmet expectations and your triggered ego. Choose every day to learn together, grow together, and move on together. It is a joyous way to live.
Remember: you’ve got this!
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