How Do We Prepare To Make The Time? / Guest

I've been thinking about the posting:  "when we ourselves are drowning" and Troy's experience of making time to listen to his kids Lego adventures when he has pressing homework to do.

How do you prepare to 'be home' when you get home?  How do you prepare to walk into your home and engage with your children and wife after an often tough day at work?

Some of us have lengthy travel times between work and home to transition, some just walk out of their office in the house and into the home full of moving kids.  

What can we do to be a helper and contributor?  To engage and listen, and I mean really listen?  Love to hear what works for you.

Originally posted by Sonian in Manhood, Fatherhood, Priesthood: A forum of Advice, Insights, Council, and Loving Support on Sunday, 18 April 2010

2 Comments:

(23 April 2010) Troy -- When I commute, I have time to pray and meditate. On hard days where everything appears to be flying apart at the seams, this is an invaluable time to get things into perspective. I have a tendency to "catastrophize" every little setback until it looks like all my plans hang on that one problem. As I pray, I remember to trust the Lord. This requires great mental effort because the emotions are difficult to vanquish. On these especially hard days, I might even have to sit in my car in the garage for a few minutes, as Stephen R. Covey suggests, to remind myself that the most important work I have to do all day starts now, when I walk through the door. I've even fallen asleep for a few minutes like this, which really helped me calm down and see things in a new light.

Emerging from my home office in our basement doesn't afford me this obligatory meditative time. So I have to work harder at being cheerful. Fortunately, just by virtue of having been home all day, listening to the joyful noises coming through the vent; this isn't usually an issue.

(26 April 2010) Sonian -- I have realized of late about myself that I am very susceptible to music, for good or bad. Consequently I try very hard to only listen to good music. As I have done so, especially on the drive home from work, it can really change my mood and help me be happy and energized for whatever may be going on at home.