When my kids were going to school and then the granddaughters..a small box was filled with biscuits or snacks to be eaten as elevenses as it used to be called. Lunchtime was a bigger box with a meal. Most often the lunchbox was half eaten. When it was wiped clean it meant that the box had been exchanged with a pal. The snackbox would be empty or contain remnants of some banned product like a chocolate wrapper donated by a kid who had sneaked it in. Break time was more popular than lunchtime.
Break ke baad or after the break is dished out all time by TV anchors followed by the admonishing rider “Don’t go anywhere” which is unfair as the as anchor gets to escape us but we the viewers get washed up by soaps, shampoos, detergents and toilet cleaners….and post Covid… wonder products for boosting immunity, disinfecting homes and hands, nose and ears. We also get info about how to protect families with insurance or policies of safety-nets with the comforting rider “After you are honed or “Dire things happen”!!
Now break time for me used to be in the toilet where I could escape the demands of my family needs with a book to read or the day’s crossword. That was before phones became mobile and could be handed in and I was told that taking printed material… considered to be the Goddess of learning and wisdom…a no no! Now I sing!
Music has always been a passion and as a family we have a song to suit every mood that we belt out with scant respect for pitch and melody sensitive ears in the vicinity.
Another passion that we four siblings share is solving crosswords. I have an app on my phone and I use it to fill in the demanding squares…though I am so clued in to the repetitive clues that the answer is many a time pre programmed in my mind.
My husband and I have always enjoyed Jigsaw puzzles. We used to sit hunched over the tiny bits of cardboard spread on Raju’s huge drawing board that had no further use. Now we move pieces around on the iPad. I like colourful ones and when we get dull ones as the daily free puzzle, I pass it on to him to finish. He also has the patience to use the rotation choice!
In recent years I have gone back to my knitting and crochet and that is a wonderful way of spending break time. The creative process of knit and purl, single and double and treble crochet is soothing and calming.
With kids..break time is usually Time out that gives a respite to both sides of the relationship. However kids don’t get the chance of giving time out to obsessive orders issuing moms and dads…..do this…don’t do this!
I love pottering around with plants and I now combine my sunning time with the pots on my terrace. 
I have an Adenium for the past three years who refuses to bloom. I have talked, scolded, ranted, pleaded, sung, ignored, promised dire consequences to her…but she sits there without any red blooms. My rose plants take turns to bloom but I’m okay with that.
Now in the sunset of my life I have more break time than any other activity. In fact watching Grey’s Anatomy or Law and Order or Escape to countryside or Small House living has become mainstream activity. So is Facebook or WhatsApp activity.
With so many choices of break time tasks who has the time for real action?
This and That, There and Here 
No surprises there. You deserve the present lifestyle.
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