I finished a book the other day that took me about 5 times as long to read as usual.  The timing just wasn’t right.

I bought all the ingredients to make a recipe and they’re all still sitting there.  The timing just wasn’t right.

I started a blog a few years ago but then didn’t post anything on it for a loooong while.   (have you noticed?!)  The timing just wasn’t right.

I’m struck over and over and over again, especially as a mom, how timing is everything.  It’s all about timing when you potty train your child.  It’s all about timing when, and in what order, you introduce solids to your baby.  It’s all about timing when you first put your toddler into a big kid bed and expect to him to stay there (kind of….for 5 minutes at a time, at least).  And it’s about timing when you wean your nursing baby.  Is she ready?  Are you ready?!

So what does this mean?  It means we need to greet these landmark moments with a little bit of grace.  Yes, they told me I should take the pacifier away from Silvia when she turned two but as soon as I did her wonderful sleep habits went about the window and after 2 weeks with little to no sleeping, I caved.  I stood there in her room, tears running down both of our faces, and asked, “If I give you your nightie back, will you go to sleep?!”  She nodded and I retrieved it.  She slept and I sighed.  Was I a failure?  Was she doomed to have buck teeth all of her life?  Nah.  I just waited a few more months until the idea was novel again, until we had made it through a cross-country move, but before her baby sister was born, then I tried again.  This time it worked.  This TIME it worked.  Timing is everything.

Now my number two is strung out on the pacifier and I’m not even stressing it… yet.  It isn’t time.

Here’s what I’ve decided.  If timing is everything, we should either time everything (pick the right time) or just let the time pass (until it suddenly feels like it is the right time).  You’ll know.  And if you don’t, it isn’t the right time yet.