✨Slo-Mo Sundays: How to unplug and just be (the gift of shared rest)
Stay with me here…
To some of us, “slowing down” sounds delightful.
To others, it makes our shoulders tense up.
I am both people.
Busyness used to be my badge of honor.
Turns out, it wasn’t a badge — it was a burden.
And friends…I see it in you too.
We’re tired. Burned out. Overwhelmed.
And yep — our families feel it.
So let me tell you about Slo-Mo Sundays.
It started when my kids were 2, 4, and 6.
Why? Because momma and daddy were tired.
That’s the whole origin story.
T-I-R-E-D
Sundays were perfect — no sports in our tiny southern town (WINNING).
So it was church, Barberitos (kids eat free) then everyone into the king (bed) for a nap.
Was it peaceful?
Absolutely not.
There was kicking.
There was screaming.
There were dramatic speeches about “I’M NOT EVEN TIRED.”
But it wasn’t negotiable.
Mostly because I was exhausted and had major mom-FOMO (I didn’t want to miss a minute with my family).
Have I mentioned I have been accused of being a control freak?
And yet…
Five minutes in — OUT.
All of them.
Sweaty. Sprawled. Silent. Some heavy breathing.
The rebels slept at the foot of the bed “in protest.”
“I’m just laying here,” they’d say.
Sure, buddy.
When I woke up, I’d gently wake everyone.
Unless my introverted battery was still on low and needed a few more minutes to recharge before Perossa 5 went feral again.
Puffy eyes opened, sweaty little bodies stretched, and boom…round two was ON!
Now I know my Type-A friends are clutching their planners right now.
“But Sundays are for laundry! Meal prep! Groceries!”
That was me too.
But listen — this rhythm of rest changed us.
Physically. Spiritually. Emotionally.
I have learned that the body teaches the soul.
Fast forward…
My kids are 24, 22, and 20.
We don’t fit in the King anymore.
And I can’t exactly force naps on adults…or can I?
So now we have Sofa Rot Sundays.
That’s what my kiddos have dubbed it.
Sofa Rot Sundays in action
It’s the gift of shared rest — no matter what age your kids are!
All five of us on the sectional.
Blankets. Snacks. NFL RedZone.
Laughing, napping, watching reels, doing nothing.
One weekend, Bree P’s friends even changed their travel plans.
You know because they all now have big girl jobs!
In the past, they had to leave on Sunday to head back to the real world.
But this time, as they walked out with their bags packed and saw the Perossa 5 sprawled on the sofa under blankets.
Just chilling, and it hit them – this was what they were missing.
So, they changed their plans for this visit.
They stayed.
And Sofa Rot Sunday gained a few new members (insert winky face)
That’s when it hit me —
Rest is contagious.
We weren’t created to run nonstop.
We were created to rest.
And honestly? Some weeks I say out loud,
“Just two more days until the sofa.”
Start with 10 minutes.
That’s it.
Pick a day.
It doesn’t have to be Sunday.
Just choose a moment to slow down.
Not scrolling.
Not multitasking.
Just stillness.
Close your eyes.
Breathe.
Rest your brain.
Then build from there.
For the Perossa 5, Sundays look like this:
Worship.
Eat out and spread some love at our favorite restaurant.
Then home to the sofa for planned rest.
A new week is coming.
Something amazing is ahead!
So we stay rested.
We stay ready.
I call it Sabbath Sunday.
Sabbath (Shabbat in Hebrew) means “to stop.”
Stop doing.
Stop worrying.
Stop planning.
Just be.
And if you’re a “go big or go home” person like me —
Declare a whole day and see what happens.
I promise…
Your family will start to crave it.
And one day, you might just earn your very own Slo-Mo Sunday aka Sofa Rot Sunday.
Don’t knock it till you try it.
Got 10 minutes?
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