Raising Resilience Daily

The holidays always come in fast and loud.
Everyone feels it; the chaos, the schedules, the nonstop motion. It’s not unique to my family, but this year I finally paused long enough to look at our calendar. Two full weeks off school… and exactly one day without something planned. One.

And here’s the thing:
Those planned moments matter.
The traditions, the gatherings, the practices, the tournaments, they’re part of the rhythm of our lives. They bring connection, memories, and structure. I’m not trying to erase that.

But even good things can stack up until they feel heavy.

So I did something that felt uncomfortable but necessary: I said no.
No to daytime plans.
No to filling every open space just because it was open.
No to assuming my kids needed to be entertained simply because they were home.

They needed a home day. Honestly, I needed a home day, but, work.

And then, in classic mom fashion, I bent my own rule.

My daughter was invited to go backyard skating with her teammates. She said yes. Not because it was scheduled. Not because it was expected. But because she genuinely wanted to use her free time that way. She had her reset, and then she chose connection and fresh air.

Her brother? He was content with the couch, a blanket, and TV. And that was just as valid.

That’s when it clicked for me:
Protecting downtime doesn’t mean shutting out the world. It means creating enough margin that the spontaneous yes can actually fit.

We run and run and run; especially around the holidays. Add winter sports into the mix and the pace becomes borderline ridiculous. But somewhere in the middle of all that motion, we forget something important:

It’s okay to honor the plans that matter and still leave space for the moments that weren’t on the calendar.

It’s okay to set new expectations for your family. It’s okay to protect rest like it’s an appointment. It’s okay to let your kids choose how they recharge; even if their choices look different from each other. And it’s okay to say yes when the yes comes from joy, not obligation.

This season reminded me that balance isn’t about choosing planned or spontaneous. It’s about making room for both.

Raising leaders, chasing goals, and occasionally losing my mind.