At a difficult time in my parenting life, where I wanted to be "anywhere but here" with regard to my children, I embarked upon a daily Time In routine. It would be supremely succinct of me to say that this practice - of interrupting myself to spend five minutes a day with my young children - saved my disintegrating relationships with them. Yet this statement, while entirely true, doesn't reflect truth entirely because it lacks the crucial details demonstrating just how this change came about.

A wise high school English teacher said a hundred times if she said it once, "With your words, don't tell me. Show me." And so this book is a deeply personal illustration of my, a floundering parent's, attempts to overcome the cycle of disengagement with a search for charity through small-dosed intentionality.

Time In changed the relationship dynamic between myself and each of my five children for the better. I'm talking about a 180-degree reversal. Or at least a 90-degree pivot. Or whatever number of degrees it takes to conceivably point me in a better parental direction and confirm that this crazy simple five-minute experiment works. In real life. It works.

My biggest hope is that each customized application of Time In renders an equally rewarding outcome for all parents and the small humans we are blessed to raise.

(Visit brittneysmart.me for more of Brittney's stuff.)
(Cover photo by Savannah Merrill @smerillphotography)

Readers' Unsolicited Praise for The Five-Minute Time In:
- "Unbelievably pertinent to the way I've been feeling lately."
- "Engaging and thought provoking."
- "The message couldn't have been more timely for me. Thank you for reminding us all of the importance of connection and the power that lies in small doses of intentionality."
- "All the thumbs up. Can't wait to share it with my kids."
- "I asked my daughter] what was wrong, and she kept telling me, 'nothing.' But tonight during that five minutes before she went to bed, she poured her little heart out to me. It made me realize she's really noticing when I'm actually 'listening.'"
- "The best parenting book I've ever read. It's quick and speaks to my soul."
- "Full of intelligence, humor, and a down-to-earth outlook at motherhood."
- "Motivat ed] me to be better."
- "There are things in here I need right now."
- "I could not BELIEVE how much this book hit home. ... I finished it in one night and started implementing the 'Time In' approach the next day. It has been less than a week, and I can't tell you the difference that is already taking place in my mind and home."
- "Read it in one setting and really enjoyed it."
- "Highly, strongly, lovingly recommend."
- "I bawled through a lot of the first part of the book. Relating in so many ways. ... Inspiring and just so real."

The Five-Minute Time In: Effectively Re-Engaging with Your Child(ren) in Just Five Minutes a Day - nidottu, Englanti, 2019