Iowa Specialty Hospital

From Ashley's Perspective

June 27, 2022

You Only Get 18 Summers with Your Kids. Make Them Count.

This meme, or versions of it, has been very popular on social media lately and has had a lot of parents feeling pressure with their children in the summer. Heck, it even came up at senior leadership as it had been shared with some as a reason for some staff wanting to take additional time off this summer. 

I will tell you, the first time I saw this meme it hit me very hard. I am a working mother, and if you don’t know we also own two small businesses, and every Saturday you can find me at a Farmers Market in the summer in addition to my role here at Iowa Specialty Hospital. I will tell you, I love my role here, our small businesses and my time at Farmers Market. However, there are many moments of mom guilt. 

Therefore, I had to personally take some time to decide how in our family we were going to make these 13 remaining summers count. For me, first, it is being present in the moment when I am with Rylan and our family. Less checking emails and scrolling while we are enjoying all summer has to offer. I have also committed to more little adventures from getting ice cream, to a walk outside, to making time for a gator ride while checking pastures, to time to play at the park when we are out delivering meat. None of these are big and really don’t take a lot of time, but they certainly all add up to more time together.
I have also started asking Rylan what her best part of her day is. Some of her responses absolutely surprise me as it is the smallest thing from playing outside in the yard, to riding the wiggle rider down the drive way when I pick her up at Claire’s, to the gator rides. Again, these are not large, grandiose adventures that she is highlighting. She is highlighting the very little moments where we are present and together. 

So my challenge to you this week is to be present.  Choose to do that little thing with your friends, family, and our patients, as they will notice and remember all those little details of offering the warm blanket or walking them to their destination. They matter, that is what they will remember! 
 

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