Unstructured Time

The greatest gift you can give yourself and your children is the gift of unstructured time.

In the last 40 years, we, as a culture have drifted away from the concept of unstructured time. Starting with abolishing the blue laws, which required businesses to be closed on Sundays. Not only for religious observances but for resting of body and mind. Giving into societal mantra’s that we [as a species] need to be entertained and productive. That somehow that little day of forced unstructured time was detrimental to us not only as individuals but as a culture as well.

So we embarked on the never-ending day, week, month, and year. Constantly working, constantly productive, with no time to think or ponder. No time to be FREE!

We have passed this on to our children and now we have children of children who have no idea how to act with the gift of unstructured time. We see it every day with babies with electronic devices to keep them amused instead of human interaction because the adults themselves cannot receive the gift of unstructured time. It makes them feel lazy or bored and even if they are not "working" they themselves are playing, connecting, and interacting with a machine!

Being a parent of a certain age, with children spanning literally a generation I can attest to this phenomenon; as I live and navigate it daily.

Having to live and work in the world, we have occasionally been sucked into the Borg of nonstop productivity and activity. This has, at times, become the new "normal". Until one of us remembers the benefits of unstructured time, and brings the rest of us back kicking and screaming.

The end of the school year has always been a great reminder and time to embrace the idea of prolonged unstructured time. It's like our collective body, mind and spirit are yearning for space to be free. Entering into summer as an expectant child, counting the days till.....freedom!

Our society frowns on this, as it has since its inception. Our children spend more time in daycare and structured sports than they do with their own family. Our leaders have pushed through full day kindergarten and now are touting Head start program as young as two. My my, then we wonder what is happening to our children, to us, and to our society.

We know what is happening, we are overworked, overcommitted, and overstimulated. Sensory overload involving all the senses; is it any wonder we have the issues we have today?

So this summer, make a conscious choice to take back your well-earned, well deserved unstructured time. Use is to rest your body and free your mind to dream, ponder and create a better more balanced life.

Appears first on Voted-Off-The-Island.com