I am currently reading Chapter Four of a book titled Simplicity Parenting. This chapter is titled Rhythm, and is dedicated to the importance of rhythm in a child’s life and how to create rhythm in your home to achieve family harmony. In this sense, rhythm relates to the tempo of your family life. The following paragraph resonated with me, and reinforced the value of the small things…like having lunch on a log!
“Meaning hides in repetition: We do this every day or every week because it matters. We are connected by the things we do together. We matter to one another. In the tapestry of childhood, what stands out is not the splashy, blow out trip to Disneyland but the common threads that run throughout and repeat: the family dinners, nature walks, reading together at bedtime (with a hot water bottle at our feet on winter evenings), Saturday morning pancakes.”
Our walks in the park can be as short as half and hour, or span the course of the day. Sometimes we take a toy to play with and inspire us, but often our play develops from natures treasures, seeds, flowers, rocks, sticks. Yesterday Maya was making a Fairy house, this was a detailed work that involved collecting flowers and suspending them on a leafless bush. A miniature Fairy wand was made too, by sticking a tiny flower on the end of a stick. I thought this was very clever and adorable!
Maya worked methodically at her Fairy house, chattering non stop the whole time. A lovely story developed and then we had to leave the Fairy house. “Quick, the Gobblers are going to get us”. Maya shouted with urgency and scurried out of the brush. “The Gobblers?” I questioned, and then realised that maybe she meant to say something else. “Do you mean Goblins?” I asked. As Maya has started to learn folk lore and stories, I have noticed she implements her learning into her play….sometimes, it is very cute and not quite right. “Yes the Goblins!” she replied and continued on down the path. “Why are the Goblins chasing us?” I asked. “They want to capture us” she replied, and then added, “I am going to put a spell on them with my Fairy wand”. I was happy to hear Maya was her own heroin and so I encouraged her “Quick Maya, do the spell”. Maya made a magic sounding noise and then said proudly “I turned the Goblins into a boat!” I thought that was a super spell and told Maya so. “Very clever Maya, a boat won’t go far out of water!”