Let's talk rhythm and intentions.

[epdeans]

Happy New Year Everyone. I hope this year brings lots of love and peace to us all.

I adore this time of the year because I seem to feel so clear and experience an inner renewal. I seem to want to purge things both mentally and physically.

I also like to reset our daily rhythm after all the activity of the last 2 months.

I would love to hear how others embrace the new year and reestablishing a new rhythm.

Elizabeth in NC 

[epdeans]

I had a wonderful thoughtful day yesterday setting my intentions for the New Year.

I have decided to continue my "gathering information" stage but also putting into place the "doing" phase as well. I tend to look into others worlds via blogs, read tons of books but never get to the action on my part. I am not ready to let go of the gathering but I am excited to be moving into the action.

This year I am also going to return to listening to myself and doing more inner work. My son is 21 months and I am seeing his independence grow and certain demands on me decrease so I feel the ability to nourish that part of me.

I look forward to others thought.

Elizabeth in NC 

[DsMamma]

Hi Elizabeth, I am likewise work towards a daily rythm this new year. I am new to Waldorf (am currently trying to learn more, having just read Simplicity Parenting and currently working my way through You are Your Child's First Teacher) and so rather than a return to a daily rythm, I am working on creating one.  Not just a daily rythm, but a weekly rythm as well.

I am keeping a journal so that I can see my progress and set goals.  For me, having something in writing is helpful.  I am starting small, and on the advise of a mom who responded to a previous post of mine here, thinking of the rythm as something that grows or evolves over time (so that it is organic) rather than being "constructed" all at once.  I think this will make it achievable and also so that it will feel natural and comforting, rather than strict and pendantic. 

So, we are starting small.  So far I have added in a song that I made up every time I wash DS's hands and face after meals "We wash our hands when we're done our dinner/We do the same every day/ We wash our hands when we're done our dinner/ and then we can go and play".  It's really helped keep him happy through a process that he usually gets frustrated and impatient during.  I am also looking to do a weekly routine for supper meals as suggested in Simplicity Parenting.  So far Wednesday is soup night.  I'm going to keep adding nights in as the weeks go on until we have a set weekly menu in place.  Also, I am making a point to have outside time every weekend day (I work during the week, so this is tough to achieve every weekday as well) regardless of the weather and to that end bought a really good quality pair of long johns for DS on sale as the weather gets very cold where we live.

Thanks for starting the thread!  I look forward to other's suggestions and thoughts.

[epdeans]

For me, I have also added to my rhythm through time. I started with Jake's sleeping and eating. I was a very organic process that just "became". 

I feel comforted and supported by my daily rhythm and am working on a weekly rhythm now such as a baking day, laundry day etc.

I also am quite excited to add a handwork day with Jake. He is 21 months and we have been spontanously coloring about every other day and I would love to explore more handwork.

Look forward to hearing from others too.

Elizabeth in NC 

[lanternkeeper]

the family set up a little corner of the living room for my little one's toys.
we have introduced playtime here with either parent before storytime in bed.

also working on a weekly menu.
in the morning, breakfast rotates from eggs, hot cereal, grilled cheese sandwiches, cereal and milk to berry/greek yogurt smoothies to end the week.
friday mornings get hot cocoa.

so far, we all agree on some type of chicken, veg soup and egg bread for Friday dinner.

[MamaFern]

  subbing so i can post later.

[Gunter]

hi fern! 

before i tried to set up our daily rhythm, i followed my kids around for about 2 weeks and wrote down everything we were doing at certain times throughout the day.  I noticed what was going well, where we needed help and what was horrible.  then, i worked from there to get things into place.  I read a lot, too on blogs and in Waldorfy books plus Simplicity Parenting, too.  I did a Simplicity Parenting group at our local Waldorf school where I was so inspired by fellow parents and educators, too. 

We've had to tweak things a bit as the seasons change and my girls grow since it's been two years now.  DH got on board with evenings b/c that is all him.  I always joke that I don't bathe my kids or have any idea what their bedtime stories are; it's full on dada time.  Yay!  But, he really got that bit down and it is awesome- such smooth sailing.  Every once in a while they need a few extra hugs or kisses so they run into my room for that.  Precious. 

We're getting ready to welcome a wee babe so our rhythm has changed a bit around here with me being so tired most afternoons.  Thankfully, that was normally our quiet time but now it's rock solid quiet for me and they can play together in their room or look at books in my room.  I have found that when we introduce something new it just takes a while of doing it over and over for a few days or even a week before things click.  And, I really try to listen to how it's working for everyone...is this just the transition time or was this a really awful idea and not a good fit for our family right now.  That makes it easier on everyone. I am a bit like Elizabeth about making plans and doing so much research.  and having things written out really lets me wrap my brain around it all.  so, i like to do that with each season.   

[lyrebird]

It's good to think about these things again at this time of year, though I feel this year has begun without me - we're going away soon and I think I'll get some time to do it properly then, so this year starts in February for me :)

there are aspects of the week/day that didn't work last year, I've just got to figure out how to fix them and what we want to focus on.

it would be nice for the school year to be starting on track with all our goals and rhythms set in motion.

[epdeans]

I have really enjoyed the rhythm that we have been following thus far.

It is really just continued to strengthen with time organically.

There has been times when I have wanted to abandon parts of it out of my lack of discipline but kind of pushed forward and been rewarded by the results. When I say abandon parts of it I mean to skip something one day because I wanted to just veg out.

Hope all is well with others and would love to hear how others are doing.

Elizabeth in NC