Connect with yourself
Take a moment for yourself today. Tell your children that it is important that everyone connects with each other and connects with themselves. Arrange a “Connect with Yourself time.” Ask the kids what they will do for themselves in that time (it has to be solitary). Then choose yours: sit with the sun on your face, read a chapter of a book, do two favourite yoga poses, or a few minutes of anything that you enjoy. How long you take may depend on the age of your children. After you have Connect with Yourself time, have Connect with family time.” Spend 15 to 20 minutes doing something with your children that is not school, and not chores. If you can manage to do this with one child at a time, even better! You will find that connection time helps settle your children and the connecting with yourself time helps settle you.
Be patient, it may take some children time to learn the routine. You can start with 5 minutes and increase from there as they get the hang of it. If you have an infant or very young child, you may need to take turns having Connect with Yourself time with your co-parent if you have one. If you don’t, utilize nap times and natural quiet times to focus inward.
Appreciate yourself, accept yourself, even when you did not live up to your own expectations. Remember that even when you mess up, you are still the centre of your child’s world.
