One of the biggest things my parents taught me was timeliness. Now, it's not like they set out to teach me theoretically, but it's what I saw through their actions. The only verbal lesson on timeliness I probably got from them was the phrase "hurry up, we need to be there by such and such time" . 

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Through their daily actions, I was infused with keeping aware of time. As I look back on it, It seems that the social class my family was at that time, it was dependent on time. 

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Mornings gotta get ready for school and work

Then we get off school or work

Dinner time at home happens on routine

and bedtime happens on routine so that the following morning can be seamless

The weekends were similar, thought my parents did not work weekends, things still had to be done on a timely manner. Groceries had to get done, cleaning had to get done, breakfast, lunch, and dinner, people had to be visited, and so on. 

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That structure was consistent all through my childhood, that when I became independent, I continued to follow the routine almost unconsciously.  It wasn't until only about a year ago, I realized how much that affected me - I always carried a feeling with me that something needed to be done, there is no such thing as resting, and I was really only in-between errands. And before I really took notice of it, I had already passed this habit down to my kids. So now, I make slight changes to correct some of the negative feelings that can bring on. 

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For instance, I always felt that life was just a series of steps. Just keep following the steps, and you will end up where you are supposed to end up. But I always felt like those steps were supposed to happen within a certain time frame. So I felt as if society was rushing me along as if I always had to be somewhere or be doing something.  And as a parent, I've caught myself putting together a manic shopping trip chart where I was going to get every item from 4 different stores and be done before 11:30am. Now That's just crazy. All because I wanted to finish on time, and have enough time for later, and not take too much time. I used to do that just instinctively..

 

Since I know that my kids have already inherited timeliness - I mean, its pretty much how the world goes round, I place my effort in NOT feeling rushed. There is a reason for time, but it shouldn't negate from the experience. Investing in the experience places a different meaning on time, which is something I never understood. And I'm hoping if they understand early in life, it will prevent some of the anxieties related to time, and allow them to use it in their favor, rather than be intimidated by it.  

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