It is a pastime, but in my house it is a necessary time.

Tea Time…. That glorious hour in the early afternoon when the kids are at their peak rambunctiousness. The hour that mommy (me) needs a minute to collect her thoughts and a moment or two of uninterrupted peace. In hour house, that hour is roughly 3pm.

My young daughter Cari gets the teacups, Evie retrieves the tea and almond cream, Lizzie sets the tray, and Decklan sits impatiently at the table awaiting his cuppa. I boil the water and disperse it evenly between the 5 cups. Saucers are a MUST at our tea time… you cannot possibly pretend you are the Princess of Genovia if you do not have a crisp clean “clink” when you set down your cup! Oh, and pinkies out… always.

It’s at this time of day when they are the punchiest, that I find it important to fill them with a protein and healthy-fat dense snack to balance their blood sugars and calm the feistiness. We always have some kind of Specialty Confection being thought up in our house and whatever it happens to be that day ends up on our tea tray. A house favorite are the protein brownies! Made with gluten free flour, coconut oil, black beans and our Designs for Health protein. Dan will grab one on his way out the door to the gym as a pre-workout snack. And I will shamelessly indulge with the kids at tea time.

Another favorite is our Almond Cookies! Made with almond flour, orange zest, olive oil and Designs for Health Vanilla protein powder. These are perfect for dunking into their teacups and arranging around their saucers. They’re also perfect for balancing their blood sugar and setting the pace for a more peaceful, less-cranky afternoon. A good 30 minutes in all, a perfect epoch to regroup and recharge.

I admit I need this time as much as they do. I also need to recharge and gather my thoughts around the same time of day. That afternoon “slump” gets to me. Tea time has become a staple in our house ever since my kids started school. They would come home all hyped up on adrenaline and sugar from the snacks they served in the classroom. Then they would crash before they even had a chance to touch their homework. Tea time enabled them to sit down with a purpose and not be bored, and ingest some nutrients to combat their sugar high. They were more apt to complete their homework and still have energy for a trip to the park or some pool time before dinner. On weekends my husband joins us in our tasty ritual, and is often affectionately adorned with a crown of some sorts as he is the Prince at such occasions.

I highly recommend setting time aside in each day to recollect your energy and space. Create a special place in your house, light a candle, play some music (or pure silence), make a “cuppa,” and grab a healthy, balanced snack to reset and recharge.