Are you all “Tried” out? You do your best, but you find family life hard to get on top of? This post covers how to work smarter not harder as a parent. Lets let rituals and routines do the work for you.
45% of parents feel burned out
This post wants to help you do less not more I promise. How to work smarter not harder as a parent. You are probably doing more than you can manage…
Research shows cooperation is key!
Children learn cooperation through family rituals. It’s often the lack of cooperation which leaves us feeling drained from trying as parents. We often feel undervalued as we go about our day. We can’t understand why our child doesn’t get it… “Don’t you understand” “We need to get in the car” “We are late” “We have to do this” “We need to eat” “We need to go to sleep”
The things is
Children learn through repetition and imitation rather than parents trying to bribe, cajole, or prod their child into doing the same boring life things every day- its exhausting! Lets let rituals and routines do the work for you. Work smarter not harder. Reduce some of the burn out
Do you need more RR in family life?
No its not rest and relaxation but it will pay you back- trust me
Does life feel overwhelming? Too much to do? Too little time? Are you drained of trying so hard?
Routines, Rituals, Rites, Rhythms ease power struggles, meltdowns, increase chances of sleep at night, reduces fussy eating, eases separation anxiety and more and more… Oh no not another routines post… I’ve tried that. This one is different though, swipe to find out why.
Routines are the foundation and structure of how we handle lifes givens
They are often unconscious- we perform them without thinking. They are reinforced everyday without us even trying. These daily rites enable a child to know what’s next and what will be expected of them. They make sense of the world from rituals and rhythms. Routines provide stability in a changing world for us all but for toddlers who are growing so fast its like air to breath. Sleep, eat, saying goodbye, when we eat, how we eat, how you drop off at nursery… all are repeated.
Lets break it down. Time reading this will pay you back in understanding.
Purpose
Every ritual has a goal- bedtime routines= relaxation
Preparation
Many rituals are planned by a series of resources. Your changing bag, your high chair
Pattern
Every routine you practice will follow a pattern, a start and a finish.
Practice
Every day you practice it. Its meaning and purpose are further reinforced.
Routines and rituals avoid problems by helping you to stay consistent and you organically set boundaries. Imagine natural fences to keep life together. Even the smallest rites of everyday existence are important to the soul- Thomas Moore Education of the heart To learn simple ways of improving your family routines read the caption for practical ideas.