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The value of time

I was asked this morning, what I would be getting my children for the 'silly season.'

The truth of the matter is that I hadn't given it too much thought, mainly because it's still November but also because I don't want to think about it.

My reticence is born partly of a desire not to buy into the commerciality of the process, of adding to the volume of 'stuff' in our lives but also because I again find myself borrowing from the 'Victorian' school of parenting and am running the gauntlet of judging and judgement.

Presents are great, I love a good well thought out present as much as the next person. I am not proposing we should all turn into the Grinch or Scrooge and move away from all things gift like. But for a moment let's acknowledge the world has moved on, and while in the 1940's 50's and 60's a gift of chocolate or a toy was a novelty for children, in 2016 those things are readily available and our children are arguably exposed to too much.

So, maybe it's time to reframe what is most important to us and work out how we 'gift' that. For many of us, the most valuable commodity we have is our 'time,' and the challenge for this blog is therefore how do we 'gift' our time.

Add up today, this week, this month or this year how much 'time' you have spent with those people you would choose to buy gifts for and then look at the 'type' of time that is. Is that time made up of functional activity- lift to and from school, or pleasurable activity and what would you choose to do differently?

And so instead of spending time thinking about what to buy our families and friends let's think about what a gift of time could be for them.

Think about what they enjoy doing and help make that happen.
Think about when you had the most fun together or what makes you both laugh.
Think about what you could do for them to make their life easier.
Think about the value of a conversation or a silence spent together.

And then turn that into a 'gift.'
  • Vouchers for babysitting.
  • Help with 'stuff'- I will cook you dinner vouchers. I will help you with your gardening. I will set up your online shopping account or whatever is most useful.
  • An afternoon of fun together- at the beach/ walking the dogs/ a bush walk/ a bike ride.
  • A trip down memory lane- organise a get together where you bring all of your old photos of each other and spend the evening reminiscing. 
  • A day off school/work with your family spend doing 'nothing' but fun
And in the 'true' spirit of giving back let's think about how we can give some of our time to our community. It doesn't have to be a huge commitment. Think 'bigger than me.'
  • Pick up any rubbish on your walk around the park. 
  • Pop in and have a chat with your elderly neighbour. 
  • Offer an hour's help to a local organisation or charity- even better do that with someone you want to spend more time with
Enjoy the festive crazy and your gifts of time whatever they look like and if you get the odd wrapped gift enjoy those too.



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