Morning walks

We don't get one in every day, but when we do, there's always something new to see


and explore.

Shhh!

A quiet time verse.

Shhh! Be very quiet.
Shhh! Be very still.
Fold your busy little hands.
Close your sleepy little eyes.
Shhh! Be very quiet.

Nourishing the Senses

"Physical environment" must be understood in the widest sense imaginable.
It includes not just what happens around the children in the material sense,
but everything that can be perceived by their senses,
that can work on the inner powers of the children from the surrounding physical space."
~ Steiner, The Education of the Child

As I struggle... again... with a resolution made and not even begun to declutter the house, I find myself pondering this quote. I know that a child, especially a young child, is strongly affected by their physical environment. I believe with my whole heart that this in turn effects every aspect of their lives, including learning. A child learns through their senses. One of my favorite Waldorf quotes is the one that refers to an infant as "one big sense organ". It makes sense that a cluttered, messy, noisy setting would have a negative influence, just as a clean, orderly, peaceful setting full of beauty has a positive one.

If we believe in the mandate to "do all things with love," it makes sense to bring that intention not only to our parenting but also to creating a gentle environment for our little ones. We can not only make their worlds physically neat and ordered, but also give them joy, peace, and a listening ear. By our example and planning, we can introduce them them to the idea of balance, of in-breathing and out-breathing.

I've often spoke of a strong daily, weekly, monthly, yearly rhythm as a foundation, and it's true. Rhythms that I thoughtfully laid in place almost eleven years ago when Michael was a baby still support and uphold and (I hope!) enrich our lives. They've evolved and in some cases when they no longer served us, they've been discarded, but for the most part they are still there, a solid underpinning as we go along.

But lately I've been thinking of these rhythms and routines in a more organic way. They're an ocean that carry our family along. Sometimes it gets a little rough and choppy, but for the most part, we can rest on the rhythms and be peacefully carried along, knowing that they'll eventually guide us home.

If rhythms and routines are the ocean, the home environment is the port. I would encourage you to be intentional about making your port a beautiful one. A peaceful one. A gentle one. Let those sensory connections your child makes in their early ones be connections that tell them the world is a great big beautiful loving place.

Read-Alouds and the Large(ish) Family

When Michael was my one and only, things were so much easier. He was always a child who loved when we read to him, and I think we began simple read-alouds like Mr. Popper's Penguins and the Mrs. Piggle Wiggle books when he was only three.

Now, three more children later, read-aloud is still a treasured tradition in our family. Every day after lunch and a downstairs tidy, we settle in the living room and listen to a story. Sometimes Daddy has an additional read-aloud going at bedtime as well, usually in the summer when he doesn't have a meeting every night.

Things get a little hairy when you have four. What's good for the ten-year-old doesn't always suit the toddler, and vice versa. It's a bit of a juggling act at times. I was recently re-reading Donna Simmon's fabulous book Kindergarten with Your Three to Six Year Old, and was struck by the passage:

It is really tempting to let the eldest child's needs dictate the form of one's homeschool. Try to avoid this. Let everyone listen to Old Testament stories-- but also let everyone listen to fairy tales. Many older children, even if they won't admit it, love to hear the stories of their "youth".

Oh, how true this is! As I tell fairy tales to my six-year-old, I catch the eight-year-old and even the ten-year-old stopping what they are doing and listening. Even the two-year-old has picked up themes from some of the books we've read aloud, shouting "Accio!" when he wants something. And recently while I was reading The Boxcar Children, my oldest interrupted me to say, "You know Mom, when I was little this was my favorite chapter. I remember."

How, then, do you choose suitable read-alouds when you have children spanning multiple ages? Here's what works for me. I work through a rotation, choosing books for the three oldest that I think will appeal to them. Our three latest read-alouds were The Silver Chair, aimed at 10-year-old Michael, The Boxcar Children aimed at 6-year-old Nicholas, and now, The Sisters Grimm, aimed at 8-year-old Katie Grace. Once Daniel is 4 or 5, I'll throw him in the mix as well.

I wouldn't choose anything that would be disturbing to the younger children, but I don't only choose books that are on their level either. I'm a strong believer in Vygotsky's theory of scaffolding in education, and I've seen how introducing children to literature that's a bit beyond their reach stretches their imaginations and understanding.

I read a lot of classics-- the Narnia books, Five Little Peppers, Homer Price, All of a Kind Family, the Ramona books-- but also try to incorporate some "new classics" like From the Mixed Up Files of Dr. Basil E. Frankweiler and the Redwall and Harry Potter books as well. We've also done some pretty new books such as The Penderwick Sisters and The Sisters Grimm.

Finally, don't be afraid to let a book go. If no one is enjoying it, it's OK to shelve it for a while and come back to it later or not at all. After all, the whole point is to make this a pleasant experience!

Happy Reading!

Confessions of a Crafty Failure

I want to be crafty. Really, honestly, truly, I do.

But I'm not.

I don't know if it's lack of skill, lack of innate ability, or lack of confidence, but much as I would like to be a arts and crafts kind of girl, I'm just not. I seem to have a predisposition to not following instructions. When this is accompanied with a general lack of talent, the results just aren't pretty.

I'm OK with it, mostly. I can sing. I can act. I can direct a choir. Just don't ask me to paint the sets or sew the robes.

Still, I'd like to set aside some time for crafty creativeness. And so, with the new year upon me, I dragged out my tattered and well-used Managers of Their Home book, known in large family circles as M.O.T.H.

Caveat: I recommend this book with reservations. The author writes from a much more conservative position than I come from. She has very strong feelings about discipline, scheduling babies, and traditional gender roles. But when I set that aside, she has fabulous ideas for organizing and caring for your home, especially if you have a larger household.

While her schedules are strict "every 15 minutes" affairs, my schedule tends to deal more with targets. From the time I wake up until 8:30 AM, I'd like to get in a quick 8 Minutes in the Morning session, a morning devotion, breakfast, shower, and personal care, a quick kitchen tidy, and a jump start on the laundry. At 8:30 we start school and all it entails, and at noon it's lunch, dinner prep, and a downstairs tidy for all. By 1:00 I like us to all be settled in for a read-aloud, and then in the early afternoon I try to fit in any music help for the kids (piano lessons, tuning instruments, helping them learn choir stuff) and a little bit of planning and prep for school and household stuff. I also like to check in with God around this time. By this point, He and I usually need to have a nice chat. This is where I also tucked in a bit of time for sewing/crafting/scrapbooking. Around 4 we all come together to do our deep clean. Each day has a room assigned to it. 5-ish is dinner and clean up, 6:30-ish starts some family time and bedtime routine.

See that sewing/crafting/scrapbook time? Yep, I did it. I made space for something important to me. Yesterday I cut out the pattern pieces for some pants for Daniel and a jumper for Katie Grace. Today, I was firmly resolved to do some crafting, except...

I have no idea what to make. Five billion bookmarks, and not a clue where to start.

Sigh.

I'd like to have something handmade for each child for Valentine's Day, and maybe something for the hubby as well. If you have suggestions for easy, Annette-proof gifts for a two-year-old boy, a six-year-old boy, an eight-year-old girl, and an almost eleven-year-old boy, I'd love to hear them.

An Evening Prayer

From my head to my feet, I'm the image of God.
From my heart to my hands, His own breath do I feel.
When I speak with my mouth, I shall follow God's will.
When I see and know God in Father and Mother,
In loving all people, in beasts and in flower,
In trees, plants, and stones,
Then no fear shall I feel,
Only love then fills me for all that is around me.

~Rudolf Steiner

Winter Verses and Blessings

As I work my way through my massive to-do list, one of the things I wanted to do was find the verses we'll be using in our daily routines during the next month or so.

Morning Verse
Good morning, dear earth.
Good morning, dear sun.
Good morning, dear rocks,
And the flowers, every one.
Good morning, dear beasts,
And the birds in the trees.
Good morning to you,
And good morning to me.

Good morning, dear frost,
On my window so dear.
Good morning, dear snow-
I’m so glad that you’re here!
Good morning, dear ice,
And dear wind rushing free.
Good morning to you, and good morning to me!
First verse is traditional; second verse is written by me for Seasons of Joy Winter Activity Guide

Mealtime Blessings
Blessings on the food we eat.
Blessings on the friends we meet.
Help us never to forget –
Gentleness, kindness and respect.
Traditional

Lord, bless our meal
and as you satisfy our needs,
make us mindful of the needs of others.
Traditional

Tidying Verse
I'm a tiny little clean up elf,
And I clean and I tidy in spite of myself.
I just can't help it! You can see from my face
When I see something out, I must put it in its place!
Written by Me

A Bedtime Verse
Dream with me,
Dream with me,
Cuddle up asleep.
Bedtime is a magical time--
Dream with me asleep.
Source unknown

A Bedtime Blessing
May God grant you always...
A sunbeam to warm you,
A moonbeam to charm you,
A sheltering angel, so nothing can harm you.

Source unknown

I found a wonderful video on You Tube that shows more verses and gives you tunes for many of them.

Rhythms and Routines: Bedtime

So, we've gotten a bit behind in our discussion of rhythms and routines. But, in the words of St. Benedict, "always, we begin again," so here we go!

Last time, we talked about mealtime rhythms and routines. This time, I'd like to talk about bedtime routines.

Sleep is so very important. We cannot function without it, and the quality of your sleep can strongly affect how you function during the day. A peaceful bedtime routine can lay the foundation for a peaceful night and a great next day.

Additionally, out of all our routines, the bedtime routine seems to be the one that most connects us together as a family. No matter how crazy busy our days are, we can all come together at night for a few peaceful moments to reconnect.

Our evening routine starts with what we call "a ten-minute tidy". The living area downstairs is all cleaned up, and then we head upstairs.

Next, we move onto baths and wash ups. One thing I love are essential oils/blends in the bath. Most of mine are from Erbaviva, although I also have one from Green Tara Mama. We try to make baths peaceful times, with songs and splashes and bath toys.

Next, we brush teeth. I keep a small hourglass egg timer in the bathroom to be sure they brush long enough. Each of my kids have their own little baskets with their toiletries in it.

After tidying the bathroom, we put jammies on and make sure our rooms are clean and clothes are down the laundry chute.

After this, we have story.
We keep a good-sized stack of bedtime books in our bedroom, but they really only keep the interest of the little ones. Occasionally, my husband has a read-aloud going at night, usually something of the Tolkien variety, although he did delve into The Children's Homer this summer. Sometimes we tell stories or fairy tales that will play into the next school day.

We follow this up with evening prayers and blessings and then good night kisses and everyone is tucked in. We have little bedtime "altars" in each room.


I feel it's very important for the grown-ups to take the lead in the bedtime routine. This is not the time for making choices. Clearly state what is going to happen next, and then make it happen. This is one reason I like my bedtime routine chart, shown at the beginning of this post. For my older children, seeing it written out somehow makes it more real.

Some bedtime verses:
Good night! Good night!
Far flies the light,
And still God's love
Shall flame above
Making all bright.
Good night! Good night!


The moon is round
Stroke around face
The moon is round
Stroke around face again
It has two eyes
Touch eyes
One nose
Touch nose
And makes no sound
Press finger to lips in a "Shhh!" motion

Mealtime Rhythms and Routines

Before we start, I have a confession to make. Two, actually.

Are you ready?

One, I have never done a blog series before. Please do let me know what works and what doesn't, what you would like to see, and how I'm doing.

And two-- our own routines have fallen a little lax and I'm feeling at loose ends. My sincere hope is that starting this rhythms and routines series will not only bless and inspire you, but will also help my own family to get back into the swing of things.

Phew! Confessions over, and on we go!

This post is about mealtime rhythms and routines. I'm not going to focus on meal planning-- I'll save that for another post- but this will be more about meal prep and how your meals fit into the rhythm of your day.

I always try to wake up before the children. I find that the only chance I have of keeping one step ahead of them is if I can get a head start! Generally in the morning, I put out a clean tablecloth and napkins, as well as other kitchen linens. Then I start breakfast. This morning it was a yummy oatmeal porridge found in The Waldorf Kindergarten Snack Book.
This morning, I made cocoa as well. Since I'm making an effort to get back into a routine, I wanted to win the kids over to my side. What better way to bribe them than with chocolate?

I generally don't get a lot of help making breakfast-- they're waking up and going through their morning routine on their own. If help is offered, I take it, of course!

To call them to breakfast, I sometimes sing. Do You Know the Muffin Man? is a good song on muffin days, and The Singing Day has a lovely little song, also about muffins, called Three Little Puffins. But, to be honest, I usually don't have to call them to breakfast, because they're right there, hungry with bowls waiting.


This is our kitchen table, where the kids eat breakfast and lunch. We keep our silverware in the basket on the table. This makes it easier for everyone, and we can just carry it with us to the big table in the dining room when we all eat together. I also like to keep a bowl of "help yourself" fruit out.

We use cloth napkins and tablecloths. It's an ecologically sound decision, but I also find that real materials lend themselves to being treated with reverence and respect. We also try to use non-plastic mugs and bowls, although we do have a few melamine bowls for the little boys. Generally, the tablecloth makes it through breakfast, lunch, and morning and afternoon snacks. We use the same cloth napkin all through a day, barring any major messes. Each of us has a napkin ring so we don't get them mixed up.

I've had good luck finding cloth napkins at thrift stores, but there are lots of online directions for making your own, ranging from complicated to ridiculously simple.
Rip and Tear Napkins (ridiculously simple)
Make Your Own Cloth Napkins (pretty darned simple)
Simple Cocktail Napkins (fairly simple and a good size for little ones)
Molly's Handmade Napkins (somewhat complicated)

And of course, you'll need some napkin rings to go with them!

And, if I've gotten you into a sewing mood...
Bib tutorial
and
Aprons! Aprons! Aprons! And more aprons!
And a tablecloth.

In my house, everyone can clear their own dish. Right now, we're working on everyone but the toddler washing their own dish as well. This is fairly easy to accomplish with a sink of water and a stepstool. We try very hard to take the tact of "We're all working together to make our home a lovely place" rather than "I want to make myself redundant, so you're on your own to clean up after yourself." If you gently set an example and repeat and repeat and repeat, pretty soon you'll find your children leaning into the routine and doing their part.

Sometimes we do a cooking or baking project for morning snack, and I take my helpers where I can get them. This morning it was homemade rice pudding.

Afternoon is generally more of a "something from the pantry" affair. Today is was multigrain tortilla chips and salsa. Daniel approved.
One thing I would like to work on is how I call them to the table. While I do sometimes sing, I'll admit that more often than not, it's just me yelling "TIME TO EAT!!!!"

For handwashing before meals, we have our own version of "Warm, Hands, Warm". We sing:
Wash, hands, wash,
And dry them on the towel.
If you're going to wash your hands,
Wash your hands now!

We use a variety of blessings and graces. I'm Catholic and my husband is a Lutheran pastor, so between us we have a rich heritage of prayer to draw from. I do like to pick a couple of seasonal blessings and post them near the kitchen table. This can be a great use for watercolor paintings!
Finally, I wanted to share our helper chart. Knowing I was writing this actually inspired me to write a new one, with Daniel added.
You can see how faded the old one was, and it only included the three older children. Daniel should be able to pitch in now, even at a toddler level.

We have four jobs: chef, host/hostess, waiter/waitress, and busboy/busgirl. Generally, we use this only at dinner, but if they're squabbling to help at another meal, I'll look at the chart then as well.

The chef helps to cook. He also gets ingredients from the pantry, fridge, or storage area. The hostess sets the table and calls everyone to eat. The waiter gets drinks and if we need anything during the meal, it's his job to hop up and get it. Everyone clears their own dish, but the busgirl clears the serving dishes and wipes down the table.

These are just a few of the underlying rhythms and routines that help make our meals more peaceful. I'd love to hear what you do at your house! And of course, I'll see you back here next week on Thursday, when we tackle morning and evening routines.

The importance of rhythms and routines

Way back in the day, when I had just one child, I remember people asking "Is he on a schedule yet?" And I giggled to myself, picturing a baby with a briefcase and a pocket planner, busily making his way from one meeting to another. But out loud, I simply said, "No, we just play it by ear."

Soon enough, playing it by ear wasn't enough. Juggling a baby, housework, cooking, playdates, my husband's schedule, social engagements-- we needed a plan! And that was just with one child. Now, with four, I find that our rhythms and routines are the foundation that hold up our day.

And please do notice that I said "rhythms and routines" and not "schedules." In my mind, schedules are cold and unyielding, while rhythms and routines and flexible and work to gently support and uplift our family.

What is a rhythm? To me, rhythms are those repetitive cycles that drift in and out of our lives like the waves. In our home we have daily rhythms, weekly rhythms, seasonal rhythms and yearly rhythms. Woven into our rhythms are the traditions of our family. Our rhythms nourish us and give us strength.

What is a routine? It's the day-to-day step-by-step processes that help everything to run smoothly. In our house, strong routines give predictability to our days and help to make those rhythms happen. I strongly believe that we all are at our best when we know what to expect.

I can honestly say that many of the rhythms and routines which we started when Michael was a baby, ten years ago, are still part of our daily lives. I would invite you to join me as I revisit our routines and help cement them, and perhaps you can work on a few of your own as well. We'll be looking at rhythms and routines on Thursdays, and will start this Thursday with meal routines. (Not meal planning-- we'll save that for later!)

So, start to think about your meals-- what are your goals? what is working for you and your family? what do you want to change? how do you create a feeling on peace and harmony?

And I'll see you on Thursday!

Circle Time

This week we're doing the Harvest Circle from Autumn Seasons of Joy. Unfortunately, I committed the unpardonable sin of running out of matches to light the candles. Daniel was beside himself! He spent the first five minutes yelling "Circy time! Candles!" until I distracted him with a rousing rendition of "Oats, Peas, Beans, and Barley Grow," but then when it was over he started fussing at me again. He looked very forlorn, looking up at the mantle and pretending to blow out candles that were never lit.

Never underestimate the power of a good daily routine-- kids depend on it!

Morning and Evening Blessings

Bless our hearts.
Put hand over heart.
Bless our home.
Raise arms to make a roof.
Bless our family.
Hold hands.
Throughout this day. Amen.
Squeeze hands.

May the grace of God
Mark the sign of the cross over their hearts
Which passes all understanding
Mark the sign of the cross on foreheads
Strengthen you
Mark the sign of the cross on their forearms
And give you peace.
Mark the sign of the cross on eyelids.
Amen.

From Augsburg Fortress's Children's Devotional