Aaaargh. Throw me a bone here, kid.

The fifteen minutes after school have always felt more like nailing jello to the wall than it has a meaningful connection point between myself and my kids. I'm tired, they're tired. Do we all just need a break?

How do I avoid sitting in silence for the entire ride home. Or maybe that's not the point at all.

I dunno.

With the start of school looming large on the horizon, it was these sorts of questions that had me seeking out my friend Laura Zimmerman. For those who know her, this will come as no surprise. She is a person who consistently has insightful things to say about many things, not least of which, parenting.

After all, she's been an aide and now teacher with New Covenant Christian School for the last several years which has given her the unique position of being submersed in both sides of the school/home life environment.

Laura and I have shared many things in common over the years. We are both mothers to an array of daughters, we both married goofy youth pastor type guys who found themselves in lead pastor positions, and we both have a candid (and humorous) way of speaking about our inefficiencies in life. 

It was one such inefficiency that had me texting my friend laura:

how to meaningfully connect with our kids after the whirlwind of a long school day.

We made a plan to meet at Baked Sweet Coffeehouse and Bakery, which, if you've never been, is a whole experience. It's the kind of hidden gem in the countryside you may not know about without a friend's recommendation, so let me be the first to tell you... you should make a point to visit.

Not only do they have a tantalizing selection of freshly baked goods and beverages (with dairy free and gluten free options!), but they also repurposed one of the cafe rooms to host a small artisan shop they call Maker's Market.

Let's just say... Joanna Gaines would approve.

As Laura and I sipped our iced drinks and she nibbled on a blueberry scone, I shared my own struggles with finding ways to connect with my children in a manner that felt truly significant. I have often found myself grappling with the pressure to come up with perfect strategies, only to feel disheartened when they didn't quite hit the mark. 

What struck me most about our conversation was the realization that the essence of connection goes beyond specific techniques or activities. Instead, it’s about the journey of understanding ourselves and our children on a deeper level. It’s this process of self-discovery and mutual understanding that truly matters, and it was this insight that made our chat so enriching and reassuring.

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