A Parenting Exercise for Spring

Spring has sprung! 

Here, in the Northeast, we are midway through the season of spring. 

It began with Mud Season, the transition from winter into early spring, when the ice melts, the streams being to flow, and the earth thaws to become soft and workable. The buds on the trees are swelling with new life. The roads in early spring are full of deep ruts and frost heaves. It's brutal on cars. We were nearly swallowed up on a dirt road where the mud was so deep.

 Next came the very first upward shoots of spring, and with them, the birds with the early morning singing. Fist come the he crocuses and the daffodils. They seem to use great force pushing upwards out of the cold earth. 

Now we are in mid-spring, when the trees and great bushes are in full blossom. This is the spring of paintings and postcards...

It's so wonderful to be in the moment of the day and the season. Yet sometimes by being so in the moment, we don't see what's coming. And that's okay too. That's where our rhythm carries us. 

Here's a little checklist of some of the delights of spring I am experiencing. Whether you or I check each one doesn't matter. Your spring checklist may look very different than mine. It's here as a reminder to help notice what is happening around us. 

:: The Earth Softening

:: The Birds Singing

:: Nest Building and Baby Birds

:: The Most Freshness of the Air

:: The Ease of Going Outside with Fewer Layers

:: Having Windows Open in the House

:: The Sweet Smells of Blossoms

:: The Greening Everywhere ~ the grass, the leaves, the shoots

:: Worms in the Dirt

:: The Dandelions

:: The Bursting of Color 

:: Everything Flowering

:: Pausing to take it in.

EXERCISE
One of the biggest challenges of parenting is to be present in the moment and calm, so that we can respond to our children rather than react. One way of becoming more mindful is by paying attention to our senses.  We are blessed with senses to experience the world. Take a moment and pay attention. Close your eyes. What do you hear around you? What do you smell? What do you feel against your skin? Open your eyes, what do you see? Notice your breathing. Perhaps you have become more present in the moment. 

What are you noticing this spring? 

I hope this exercise helps you feel more grounded and centered in your days! 

Warmly,