Today's topic is warmth....
So it's been almost a month since I've blogged about this journey. It seems I got stuck at the halfway point. With the holidays approaching I've felt called to return to this. Also a couple of really horrible days...
So on to the topic of the day. Warmth in Waldorf education from what I've read refers to both physical and emotional warmth. In Waldorf, physical warmth is seen as very important since this Sense is not believed to be fully developed until age 9. So as parents we must protect it until then. There must be some truth to this since as mothers we spend a lot of time and energy chasing our children and putting on hats and mitts, or in my house underpants, on our kids. They just don't seem to feel the cold. Yet heat is energy and if children have to expend energy to further heat their bodies because they are not wearing warm clothes, or any clothes as is often the case with my son, then they are using up precious growth energy. I try to be conscious of the need for my kids to be wearing warm clothing especially since our house is fairly chilly but inevitable all the clothes seem to be off at some point or another. Or all day in M's case. That boy does not like the restriction clothing puts on him. He often strips completely naked to go swimming in his 'pool'. Which is a pile of blankets between the spare bed and chair. I haven't quite figured out how to keep him physically warm when he refuses to keep clothing on but maybe if I keep him emotionally warm he'll have extra energy to expend on this? I've never been a big believer in hats at all times for babes but I've read quite a bit lately about how they can calm an infant. Maybe I'll try this with D, can't hurt.
I try to foster emotional warmth in my home by keeping a sense of humour and picking my battles. Not every little thing needs to be addressed every day. I am making a conscious effort to tell my kids I love them every day and to express my love by hugging and kissing and laughing with them. I grew up in a hands off family. We didn't hug or kiss or touch very often. We aren't close now and I have no idea if this is the reason but it's one thing I can change. I also try to convey a sense of warmth through my relationship with my husband. I believe it is important for my children to see H and I kiss and hug and laugh together. At this point all M wants to do is get in the middle so he can have some of the love.
Parenting Passageway's challenge is to spend 3 days increasing the amount of times you hug, hold, laugh, give positive encouragement, say I love you, smile at your kids and partner. We are supposed to watch for a difference in the feeling and peacefulness of our home. So Friday through Sunday I am going to take this challenge. I am going to do these things at every opportunity I get. I'm going to raise the temperature in my home and family.
No comments:
Post a Comment