Welcome back to All Things! As I come off a two-month break and head back to school, along with many of you, I’m contemplating how my family might pursue rest rather than hustle this year. Many (most?) of us in the wealthy west are over-scheduled and over-tired. Study after study (linked in the show notes below) reveal that our kids are not getting enough sleep or down time. Stress and anxiety are on the rise, while slow family dinners and restful times at home are on the decline. What is it about our identities or culture or flesh that drive us to live at an unsustainable pace? How can we move forward this year with care and intention so we don’t hop back on the hamster wheel that so many others are running on? This episode is a reminder to myself and an encouragement to you about what really matters as we kick off another school year and new season of All Things.

5 ways kids spend time differently today than in the past

New Survey on Free Time Illustrates the Challenges Today's Families Face in an Age of Screens

A Study on Children’s Free Time: How It Is Spent, Prioritized and Valued

After-school activities: The pros and cons of filling your kids’ schedule

Is Your Child Too Busy?

Extracurriculars: How many is too many?

Kids are losing interest in organized sports. Why that matters

New CA law requires later start times for middle and high schools this upcoming year

Young Bible readers more likely to be faithful adults, study finds