Daily Rythms
I happened upon a blog discussing a book on parenting. This one chapter spoke about rhythms, those daily rituals we have that our children become accustomed to, which makes them feel safe and secure. They may seem innocuous, the tiny minutia of day to day living, such as bedtime stories, braiding your little one's hair in the morning, or throwing the baseball in the backyard. But these little moments create our lives. I started thinking...what would be considered a reoccurring rhythm in Stella's life? My first thought was classical music. It all started when I'd pick her up from school. It was the end of the day and she was often tired and a little crabby (ok, a lot), and the radio just sounded like a bunch of noise. So I turned it onto the classical music station and found it to be so calming. Now, all this time later, she actually requests classical music when we're in the car (if not her one favorite Katy Perry song). I like to imagine her being in her 20's one day, living in her own apartment, and turning on classical music to listen to, and letting it transport her back to her childhood.
What would be a rhythm in your life - or your child's? I like these tips on establishing one (like my friend, Amy's Sunday Morning Pancakes) if you don't have one already, but also giving yourself a break as well, as we don't all have lots of spare time to think about these things. I think the idea is to recognize and cherish those small habits, routines, or traditions you already have, as most certainly, your children will grow up to cherish them.
