I am about to send my three oldest off to school. My six year-old will be starting first grade! I have really mixed feelings about this. I feel it is time to start giving more attention to this little girl:
And I am so desperate for a good nap (not happening, with five active kiddos, a certain single fly that seems to know where and when I'm trying to sleep, and my new TV rule!). And less chaos. But, at the same time, I always feel sad for a week or so after my kids start school, especially first grade. Reality hits: time is marching on whether I want it to or not. This little one will not be home finger painting, singing Kindergarten songs, going to the park or story time at the library with me any more. Those days are now over. Though good ones are ahead! It's just-- a special little time is over. Have I made the most of this time? Did I cherish it enough? Did I teach her enough? Will she go forward feeling confident and brave as she faces some of life's realities? Will she remember our times together, our laughs, our walks, our happy and quiet times?
This morning we sat at the breakfast table enjoying slurpy chunks of dripping watermelon, her little elbows resting on the table next to mine. I enjoyed her golden-ish hair and gray-blue eyes, her tiny sprinkling of freckles, and a new little tooth squishing itself in amongst her baby teeth. We laughed and talked and slurped our watermelon, dripping on last night's dinner crumbs. We talked about school and sisters and Satan. :) (don't ask me how these topics interwove) Will I be ready to let her go?
Sorry....I have digressed so much. But there is (sort of) a point.
I have debated much internally over this month's goals. While there are things I need to work on a little more urgently, I've decided to re-focus this month on showing love, as inspired by The Five Love Languages of Children (Chapman, Campbell). Specifically, as my kids go back to school, I want to focus on a few areas. (The five love languages they talk about are: quality time, acts of service, words of affirmation, physical touch, and gifts...I've already worked on two of these) Here are this month's goals:
1. Warm greetings (as inspired by the sneak peak from Gretchen Rubin's new book - Happier at Home) ....specifically I want to hug my kids as they come and go, and focus on smiling more.
2. Acts of Service - create an after-school routine, including a moderately clean house, healthy prepared snack, and a few minute chat.
-- Do little things they need when they need them instead of putting them off.
-- Create a better bedtime routine (including making dinner on time so kids have plenty of time to get ready for bed).
-- Have myself or the kids prepare their own lunches every day this year.
-- Get back in the habit of doing my girls' hair!
-- Use what I learned about positive words as I leave my kids at least one note a week in their lunch or bedroom.
3. Children's charity of the month-- as part of this blog I'd like to start learning about a new children's charity each month and use the money I earn that month to donate toward said charity.
4. For my husband and myself-- make something to display that encapsulates the family goals we talked about in Month 3.
What will you miss most about summer? I will miss fresh tomatoes, swimming, going places when we want to, and no homework!
No comments:
Post a Comment