Saturday: What Happens When We Stop Saying “Hurry Up”?
It's Saturday.
So today, we're trying something a little different.
No resource list.
No giant to-do list.
No pressure to make the weekend productive.
No telling you how to have the “perfect” family Saturday.
Just one simple challenge:
What happens if we stop saying “hurry up” for one Saturday?
Think about how often those words come out of our mouths during the week.
“Hurry up, we're going to be late.”
“Hurry up and get dressed.”
“Hurry up and eat.”
“Hurry up and brush your teeth.”
“Hurry up, we have somewhere to be.”
“Hurry up!”
By Saturday morning, you might already be tired of hearing yourself say it.
So today, let's see what happens if we don't.
Let Saturday Take a Little Longer
Let breakfast take longer than usual.
Let the kids pick what they want to wear.
Let somebody wear pajamas until noon.
Let your child take ten minutes to tell you a story that could have been told in approximately thirty seconds.
Let them help make breakfast, even if it makes a bigger mess.
Let someone choose the music.
Let the pancakes come out a little crooked.
Let the living room become a fort.
Let everyone laugh at something completely ridiculous.
Let the morning be...
just a morning.
This Isn't About Being a Perfect Parent
Let's make something very clear.
You are not supposed to turn this into another thing you have to do perfectly.
There is no score.
There is no prize.
There is no gold star for having the calmest Saturday morning.
Because let's be realistic.
Someone might spill something.
Someone might argue.
Someone might lose a shoe.
Someone might cry because their sibling looked at them.
Someone might announce that they're starving and then reject every single thing in the kitchen.
Someone might ask you the same question 14 times.
And eventually you might say:
“Okay. We're hurrying now.”
That's okay.
You're human.
The point isn't to create a magical, peaceful family morning.
The point is to notice what happens when you give yourself permission to slow down.
Ask Your Kids One Question
At some point today, ask:
“If you could plan our entire Saturday, what would we do?”
Then actually listen.
Maybe they'll say:
“Go to the park.”
“Make cookies.”
“Watch movies.”
“Build a blanket fort.”
“Play outside.”
“Go swimming.”
“Have pancakes.”
“Play a board game.”
“Do nothing.”
Or they might come up with something completely ridiculous.
Let them.
You might be surprised by how simple their answer is.
Sometimes what kids want most isn't something expensive or elaborate.
Sometimes they just want your attention.
Here's Your Saturday Challenge
For one part of today, try putting the clock aside.
Not literally.
You probably still need to know what time soccer starts.
But give yourself one little window where you don't have to rush from one thing to another.
Maybe it's breakfast.
Maybe it's playing outside.
Maybe it's movie time.
Maybe it's sitting on the porch.
Maybe it's coloring at the kitchen table.
Maybe it's cuddling on the couch.
Maybe it's letting your kids help you make lunch.
Maybe it's absolutely nothing.
Give yourself permission to enjoy it.
And Then We're Making This a Community Challenge
Here's where you come in.
Come back to this post and tell us how your Saturday went.
You can give us the completely honest version.
10/10
We should do this every Saturday.
7/10
Actually...that was pretty nice.
5/10
It was going great until somebody spilled juice.
2/10
We tried. That's what matters.
0/10
KindNest, we need to talk.
Or make up your own rating.
We want the real answers.
One More Question
If you could permanently eliminate ONE phrase from your family's vocabulary, what would it be?
Would it be:
“Because I said so.”
“What's for dinner?”
“Are we there yet?”
“Stop touching your brother.”
“Where are your shoes?”
“I'm bored.”
“Can I have money?”
Or maybe there's a phrase in your house that is so specific that only your family would understand it.
Tell us in the comments.
We're pretty sure moms are going to have some strong opinions about this one.
Maybe Saturday Doesn't Need to Be Productive
We live in a world that loves productivity.
Get up.
Get things done.
Clean the house.
Run the errands.
Answer the messages.
Do the laundry.
Make the appointments.
Get everyone where they need to go.
Do the next thing.
Then the next thing.
And the next thing.
But your Saturday doesn't have to be another Monday.
You don't have to make every minute count.
You don't have to create a memory every five minutes.
You don't have to take the perfect family picture.
You don't have to plan an amazing activity.
Sometimes a Saturday is just...
Pancakes.
Pajamas.
A messy living room.
A funny movie.
Kids arguing over something completely ridiculous.
Someone falling asleep on the couch.
And everyone being together.
And honestly?
That sounds pretty good.
The Little Things Are Often the Big Things
Years from now, your kids probably aren't going to remember whether the house was perfectly clean on a random Saturday.
They may remember:
The pancakes you made.
The blanket fort in the living room.
The silly dance you did in the kitchen.
The joke nobody could stop laughing about.
The afternoon you let them stay in pajamas.
The time you sat down and actually listened to their very long story.
The Saturday when nobody was in a hurry.
Those little moments count.
So, KindNest Families...
Here's today's challenge:
Slow down.
Listen.
Laugh.
Let the morning be a little messy.
Let the schedule breathe.
And see what happens.
Maybe nothing changes.
Maybe everything changes.
Maybe you discover that your family needed a slower Saturday more than you realized.
And if your Saturday turns into complete chaos?
Come tell us about that too.
Because that's real life.
And real life is what we're here for.
Tell Us in the Comments
What would your perfect, completely unplanned Saturday look like?
Or answer this:
What phrase would you happily ban from your house forever?
We can't wait to read your answers.
Happy Saturday from KindNest.
No rushing required.