312 Days Spent with Children

Have you ever thought about how much time you can spend with your children?

"Let's play another time."

I wonder how many times I've said that and prioritized work or chores instead.

One day, I learned about this.

During the time a child is in elementary school,

if you count the Sundays you can spend with your parents, there are only about 312 days.

At first, I thought, "That can't be right."

But when I calculated it, it was surprisingly realistic.

About 312 Sundays over the six years of elementary school.

There are days for lessons. There are days for playing with friends.

There are days when family schedules don't align.

Before you know it, the days you can spend a full day together as parent and child are far fewer than you think.

If you exclude lessons and events, it decreases even further.

It might feel long when written as a number. But when you line them up on a calendar, it passes in the blink of an eye.

When my child was small,

"I wish you would grow up faster."

I used to think that.

I wanted them to get dressed by themselves. I wanted them to get ready by themselves. I wanted them to be a little more independent.

Even though that's what I wished for.

Before I knew it, now...

"I wish you could stay like this a little longer."

That is what I think.

It is a strange thing.

The other day, I played with my child at the park.

Honestly, I was tired. I wanted to relax at home.

But my child was giving it their all.

Playing tag, chasing a ball, and calling out "Look, look!" over and over.

At the time, it was a bit tough.

But after we got home, I thought about it.

How many more times will they call out to me like this? How many more times will they ask me to go to the park together?

Once they reach middle school, club activities will begin. Once they reach high school, their time with friends will increase. Eventually, their own world will expand.

That is a wonderful thing as part of growing up.

But that is exactly why. There is time that only exists now.

Since learning the number 312,

"What shall we do today?"

rather than

"Did we spend time together today?"

I have started to be more conscious of that.

There is no need to go to a special place. There is no need for expensive gifts.

Just taking a walk to the supermarket is fine. Just eating ice cream together is fine.

For children, what matters most is not where they went, but who they spent their time with.

That is what I feel.

If you are reading this and have an elementary school-aged child.

I would like you to cherish the next Sunday just a little bit more.

Play a game together. Go to the park. Take a walk. Just listen to them.

I think that alone is enough.

312 days.

It may seem like a lot, but it is surely surprisingly short.

That is why, today as well, I want to cherish the time my child asks me to play with them.

I believe that those casual days will one day become treasures.

Thank you for reading until the end.