Knowing When to Stop

It is not always an easy thing to know when to stop. To listen to your body and realize when it is tired and then take the appropriate steps to lay down and rest. Most of us don't come by this skill naturally and our society does everything it can to keep us moving.

I was watching my son today who was obviously exhausted and he refused to stop. I tried to hold him and get him to settle down but he just fought his way out of my arms. I knew if I could just get him to stop moving he would fall asleep but he didn't know that the cause of all of his problems was exhaustion and he didn't know when to stop. Finally, my husband picked him up in his big Daddy arms and got him to settle down. It wasn't long until the two of them were happily snuggled together and my son's head lay lazy on his chest. Fitful screams had turned to deep sleepy breaths and all was better with the world.

Often times I find myself not knowing when to stop. I run and run and plan, all while completely ignoring the fact that I am not wonderwoman and my super powers (if I ever had any) ran out a long time ago. Instead I push myself to the point of exhaustion. I don't tell anyone no or admit that I can't do it all. I just stay up later and work harder. It makes me wonder if I'm coming across to people the same way that my son did to me. In all of my effort is only a whiny sound of fitful tantrum being heard?

Summer is always full of a lot of plans and activities. But I want to remember the summer with my family as an opportunity to enjoy time with them. Not as something that I just had to get through. Perhaps it's time to set a side the activities, games, and toys and stop...for awhile.