Every night when we tuck in my son, he throws a tiny, adorable protest — devastated that the party of the day has come to an end. Patrick, my husband, often behaves the same way after a night out with friends. While I’m less of a tantrum-in-my-pyjamas type, lately, I do fall asleep reflecting on the passage of time and how it seems to be flying.
Having a kid definitely makes this more acute. For so long it felt like a rush to have our little family in place, now he is more and more becoming a tiny teenager as his fingers and teeth and eyebrows question and love and demand from us. As much as I burst with pride when he learns a new word or skill, my heart breaks a little that he’s coming closer to the day when he will no longer tolerate mommy snuggles — or especially those in public.
I remember having read that there are ways to slow time down — or at least, trick our brains into having time feel like it’s passing more slowly. Today, as we all settle down to pool floats and fresh watermelon, may one of them help you savor your time a little further:
Let yourself daydream. It’s especially easy to stuff our days chock full, running from activity to activity, and think this is making the most of them. Instead, try slowing down. Sit still. Meditate. Eat an ice cream and really enjoy every bite. It can improve your mental health and even help you make fewer mistakes.
Make real memories. That’s right, watch the fireworks and your kid — put the phone down and try to remember it back tomorrow. Science shows that taking pictures of memories can actually make those memories worse.
Finally, and perhaps most compellingly, change your routine. This TED talk explains why being an adult makes time feel faster, as we learn less and repeat more. He explicitly walks through how to make your summer feel longer by seeking what he calls “novelty” in your life.
Off to enjoy a barbecue and wishing you the same — thank you for coming to my TED talk!