Dining

Begin by asking yourself: how do I feel about mealtimes? In your home, is it a rush to get food on the table? Do you enjoy cooking and preparing food for yourself and your family? Do you automatically think of and dread the questions: what will we have? who will make the food? who will clean-up? Look truthfully at your own sentiments around dining and then consider what attitude you would like to engender in your child. Here are some intentions you might consider: a sense of calm and nourishment a time to slow down from a busy day a chance for conversation a gathering together with the ones you love It is possible to go from a chaotic experience around meals to slowly, step by step, establishing form and rhythm, opportunity for you and your family to recharge. We know that children are extremely sensitive to the emotional environment in which they find themselves. Consider using the word “dining” instead of “eating”. To me, it conjures a sense of the experience, not just the practical effect of putting food into one’s mouth. Children are attracted to beauty and interesting language catches their attention, they pause to listen.  “Dining” feels…

Meaningful Contribution

Young children are interested in participating in the life of the family. All too often we forget that they are striving to be active contributors in life: she can take a small cup or bowl from a prepared cupboard in order to serve a snack, he can pour a glass of water from the perfectly sized pitcher at the table, she can help to fold clothes, hang them on a line to dry, help to wash dishes and put them away, he can carry a bag of groceries from the car and unpack it, she can move the stool to the sink for herself. There is a wonderfully simple book by Aliki, All By Myself, it illustrates this desire of the young child to participate, to move, to do, and to become. It is imperative that we allow for this expression, that we facilitate involvement for the child to feel peaceful within himself because it is these purposeful steps that build his self-esteem and self-respect. We are near enough to help as a guide and support, but we are careful to avoid substituting ourselves, our efforts and actions, for the child’s. Is your child at liberty to move, explore, and…

Silence

Children need time to reflect, process, and digest. What time is allowed for your child each day to tune in to self? Our current societal environment is comprised of countless disparate influences; it is a constant flow of information, voices, noise, and opinions. Your child deserves time with his own innate wisdom, the sensitivities which he carries. Consider the simple act of lighting a candle. Take a deep breath, allow yourself to feel your feet upon the earth, center yourself, strike the match, touch the light to the wick, and pause. Take time to do this for yourself and you may be surprised how these few moments can multiply and ripple out into your life. I have never met a child who was not captivated by a lit candle. Perhaps add this ritual to your mealtimes or light a candle at bedtime for evening reflection, allow the child to enjoy silence, and then to extinguish the light when he is ready. This photograph shows a young child walking in a public herb garden. She found this place of reverence and was immediately attracted to it, she felt welcome to enter. What places invite your child to be mindful? Does he…

Joyful Belonging: Nature and Children

These two entities are being talked about in education circles; thankfully more and more people are recognizing the value of a child’s connection with nature for her whole development. Nature’s rhythms are comforting and grounding to the human nervous system. A child in nature can breathe deeply, her heartbeat can attune to the surroundings. There is a general invitation to explore, wander, and watch. Nature invites stillness and the attitude of reverence can be developed. Her orientation to herself and others, as well as within the environment is refined. It is important to ask, how can children have access to nature, its sounds, and textures? Can all of the child’s senses be employed to experience the natural environments of life: to feel sun, wind, rain, and snow? Gardening is being done in many schools, children are being given the chance to plant seeds, dig in the earth, find worms, harvest food, and prepare it for sharing with others. What experiences can your child have at home that offer time in nature? In this photo, a young child, just over three years old holds in her hand one of the first eggs laid by chickens on the farm. As an observer, notice…