“I’m actually looking forward to our car time,” I said to my 6-year-old daughter, Lily.
“Me too!” she replied with excitement as we gathered our things.
Car time has become our new favorite activity. After months of scrambling for things to do while our oldest attends gymnastics, we finally discovered that simply sitting in the car can be surprisingly relaxing. No longer will we embark on pointless trips to buy bread we don’t need, or get stuck in traffic, worrying about being late. Instead, we embrace the unexpected joy of just waiting in the car.
I take my laptop along to catch up on emails while the kids have their books and snacks. Sure, they squabble, but it’s nothing too intense—just typical sibling banter that’s mostly quiet. We listen to the radio, chat, and while they occasionally spill crackers on my shoulder, it feels far better than those rushed outings for bread. Overall, our weekly car trips have decreased from 45 to just 29, thanks to a mix of activities and our newfound car time routine.
If you’d told me six months ago that I’d actually relish spending 40 minutes in a car with two bickering children, I might have been a bit concerned for my sanity. But this shift isn’t a sudden trend; the threshold for what brings me joy has been gradually lowering over the past eight years. Motherhood has limited my time, space, and finances, leading to a simpler appreciation of happiness.
I now cherish cozy nights in. While I still enjoy going out, those outings have become less frequent. Many Saturday nights are happily spent on the sofa, enjoying a movie, sipping red wine, and nibbling on cheese. I find just as much joy in that as I once did when heading out to town.
I now appreciate six hours of sleep, which feels like a luxury compared to the four I used to consider a full night. My showers are now a blissful ten minutes behind a locked door while my partner handles story time. I enjoy my work at the computer, not just because it’s fulfilling but also because it means a moment of stillness amidst the chaos of parenting.
Coffee time has become a treasured five minutes of peace after drop-offs, and I adore taking the train anywhere—it’s pure me-time with a phone or book in hand, almost wishing for the ride to last longer. A glass of red wine on Thursday evenings has transformed into a small celebration of making it through the week, making me feel like I’ve earned it.
Even my morning coffee, once a treat from a café, is now just as satisfying when brewed at home. Perhaps it’s because I’ve learned to find pleasure in simpler things.
Anyway, I should wrap this up; our car time is winding down, and there’s a child dribbling crackers on my shoulder. That glass of wine is only four hours away—pure bliss!
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Summary:
This article reflects on how the author’s perspective on happiness has shifted since becoming a parent. Simpler pleasures, like car rides with children, cozy nights in, and the joy of small daily moments have replaced the more extravagant joys of pre-parenthood. The author embraces a newfound appreciation for the little things in life.