Family Friday: Take A Time Out



Family Friday Newsletter - 1.5 min read

by: Finley Robinson


A Single Sentence from a Season Ahead

Spending 45 minutes in your child's school lunchroom creates an outsized amount of leverage for you as a parent.


Take A Break

I was out of town with my wife this week, so all I'm sending today is a short list... 12 reasons that parents should take some time away together to invest in their marriage.

I know that not everyone who reads along each week is married or is still married to their child's mom or dad. I understand there are circumstances where mom and dad are no longer together, and that affects you every day.

Here are 12 reasons why time away for mom and dad is good for everyone in the family...

  1. You can catch up on your rest and sleep so you will have better energy back home.
  2. It helps to stay connected as a couple and build a necessary lasting friendship for your present and future.
  3. You have fun stories and make memories to come home and share with your kids.
  4. It's always good to miss someone you love (ie. your kids) even if they are at a difficult age.
  5. Your kids benefit by having experiences with other caregivers and a different rhythm for a few days.
  6. It can provide a big-picture reset and perspective about your home while you are away.
  7. It demonstrates to your kids that they are not the center of your personal universe.
  8. You can enjoy experiences with other peer parents and friends you care about.
  9. Family planning, looking back (reflection) and looking ahead (vision), can happen in a less chaotic environment.
  10. Your kids will need to take on more responsibility around the house and not rely on mom & dad for everything.
  11. Time for hobbies is hard to come by with young kids, but a few days away can provide that opportunity.
  12. A healthy mom/dad give your kids the security & consistency they need to thrive in your home.

I hope you can get away, even for 36 hours, together sometime in the next 4-6 months. It is always a great investment in the whole of your home.

See you next Friday,
Finley


Helping parents create a family and wealth that will last a lifetime.

After working as a pastor for 20 years, I am convinced that the most influential people in our entire culture are parents of 3-13 year olds. My wife and I were young parents and counted on the wisdom and stories of others to stay in the game. That's why this newsletter exists. In my role as an investment advisor today I know that wealth is not a number but a way of life. I believe that families should not be asset rich and relationally poor. If you want to talk more about how I can help your family with multi-generational investment planning, let's connect.

 

Finley Robinson · Investment Advisor

Power-Decade Parenting

Helping propel moms & dads of 3 to 13 year-olds to invest in their power-decade of parenting. Father of 3 teenagers and pastor of 20 years turned digital writer.

Read more from Power-Decade Parenting
avatar

500 Fridays Newsletter - 2.5 min read Season: The Cold Days (3 of 12) The Proximity Problem On Christmas day this year, our family had a Clark Griswold moment. We enjoyed a bit of nostalgia when I grabbed the old video camera and watched some early-stage home movies. The big kids were 2 & 3 years old. Everyone in the living room smiled, ooed, and laughed as we re-watched the chaos of our young family. When kids are little, life is full of piles: toys, clothes, and bodies too. Wrestling on the...

avatar

500 Fridays Newsletter - 2 min read Season: The Cold Days (2 of 12) One Piece At A Time One of the biggest challenges of power-decade parenting is that your life is pulled in a thousand different directions. Being intentional to build connection and character with your kids can feel like a losing effort. The ability to focus on one child at a time seems as impossible as wrangling your squirming toddler to get their diaper on. In my early parenting days, I got overwhelmed and in my own head...

avatar

500 Fridays Newsletter - 3 min read Season: The Cold Days (1 of 12) Last Name Power Scott.Nolen.Martin.Graves.Hannon.Wiseman.Matthews. These surnames likely mean nothing to you, but they meant everything to me as a young father. Every power-decade parent needs a list like this. These names were pillars for us. They represent families that I looked up to and learned from. I'm now two decades into being a dad and still learning from them. More important than what I took from them is what they...