Try to remember
Filed Under Tips & Tricks | September 9, 2008
In place of our regular weekly tip from Mama Renew, this week Sarah Juliusson is taking the opportunity of the change of seasons to talk about transitions, the first of a regular seasonal column from Mama Renew:
“Try to remember the kind of September when life was slow and oh so mellow…”
Remember that song? Fall, more than any other, is known as the season of change. Leaves turn colours, kids start school again, crops are harvested, and the change from the lazy days of summer into the fullness of fall begins. The transition into fall, thankfully, is in some ways a slow one, with warm September days and the bounty of blackberries keeping some of that lazy summer energy still alive.
Watching our children it is easy to see the importance of transition times between activities – a pause that allows us to gently ease from one reality to the next. Take it too fast, and we’re in trouble with cranky kids and not enough snacks in the daypack. We all benefit when there is space for transition, letting go of our current activity and allowing for a moment of quiet before moving on to the next. The abruptness that our modern life seems to demand is not in synch with the natural flow our bodies, minds and hearts prefer.
Now is a great time to take a moment to consider your own family patterns during transition times – perhaps those tears about mismatched socks are really about not having the time to carefully pick out today’s clothing for school. We’ve all seen the benefits of a gentle transition. The five minute “check-in” before the end of a playdate, snuggling a damp child between bath time and getting dressed for school, and the quick family nap in the midst of a full day of activities each provide a sense of connection and rhythm in our day.
As the busy fall schedule sets in, take the time to consider ways you might incorporate more spaces between activities. While this will likely mean doing less, the benefits for your family far outweigh the pile of dirty dishes left behind in favour of a quiet moment together.
What is your favourite transition time with your family? Please use the comment functionality below this article to share your ideas.
Sarah Juliusson is a mother of two and co-founder of Mama Renew which offers groups for new and seasoned mothers on the themes of identity, reconnection and renewal.
3 Responses to “Try to remember”
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Ok, I wrote the article above, but I wanted to share ! By far, my favourite transition is the time between morning baths for our boys and getting dressed for school. Even when we’re crazy late and we really should be dressed already and eating breakfast, the boys insist on a 5 minute snuggle on my lap inside their fleece blankets. It gives us all that connection and love time we need before we start the day.
oh, and i also Love the time between stories and sleep when we talk about what was good and hard in our day. Deeply contemplative, connecting time that allows them to ease into sleep when they are ready.
We do bathtime at night and I enjoy the time after bath and stories and before bed when we “hang out” in the kids’ room while they putter around and wind down. Or sometimes we “hang out” in our bed. It’s completely unscripted, unplanned time that just unfolds as it will.
When the kids wake up in the morning, they often climb into my bed for 5 minutes or so. We tickle and talk and it starts the day of well.