The Little Things … Aren’t So Little

• Guest post by Kirsty from Invisible Crown •

Creating Mindful Moments

Last Christmas we all headed to Bali for our family holiday. As we sat at the airport waiting to go home I asked all the kids what their favourite thing on the holiday was. The united response happily surprised me. What did they love the most? The night we all watched tv together and fell asleep, all 6 of us. Huddled and squished in one bed after our day in the sun, too content to move. Even my teens.

I don’t get too many moments like this anymore. Amazing how quickly everything can change. We go from feeling frustrated that they are dragging on our heels as we try to get the groceries unpacked, to them running out the door barely able to throw a kiss our way.

We know this. Yet sometimes the mopping always seems so important at the time or sending that email. As busy parents sometimes, we just need to breathe and take it all in.

Creating little mindful rituals will centre us in and connect even with the chaos of life and busy schedules. Our babies watch us from the minute they are born, taking their cues from us. As they grow they model how we treat ourselves and what we make time for. The words we speak forming their own self talk.

So here are my favourite four little ways to bring some mindfulness to your week and deepen the connection with your kids, no matter what age they are.

Car chats

Make a point to turn the radio off and just chat. The older our kids get the more important this connection becomes.

I’ve had some wonderful heart to heart conversations with my teenagers just driving to the shops. They don’t feel the pressure of you staring at them intently because you are driving and yet they feel they have all your listening attention. Even with little kids hearing their stories and what they are thinking is so precious.

In crazy schedules car rides can become a slice of awesome quality time.

Meditate Together

Meditation builds an awareness in our kids that the relationship with themselves is important and something to nurture. As they control their breathing the stillness allows them space to understand their thoughts and how to self-calm. Connecting them to their inner wisdom and developing their emotional intelligence.

I find that there is something so beautifully bonding sitting in silence side by side, even if just for 5 minutes. Stick to a minute for each year of their age as a rough guide.

Sharing Gratitude

Expressing gratitude transforms our kids self-talk and builds their resilience to bounce back even when life isn’t going the way they thought.

In 2014 my youngest daughter had a bone marrow transplant and we had to be separated from her brothers and sister for one month. As hard as it was on all of us we began a daily gratitude practice so we could find something to love about our day. Every night before we settled into bed we rang home and we all shared what we were grateful for. It became such a huge positive connector even when we had to be separated and were going through so much upheaval. It’s something we still practice together every day and love.

Create your own little family tradition

As my family grows and changes so does our meal times. I started to find that some nights everyone just ate and ran, or ate at different times. Covered plates sitting on the bench for kiddies to arrive home after training tired and hungry.

So, we started our own little tradition of what we call an Italian Feast. Every second Sunday we start cooking mid-afternoon, making everything from scratch. Each person has something to contribute and it gives the kids a real appreciation of how much energy goes into family dinners and a sense of purpose to contribute.

No matter what our schedules are we make time for this afternoon together and it is something we all really look forward. Creating something special that just your family do is something the kids will never forget.

Because the little things.. well, they aren’t so little.

I hope you enjoy creating your own mindful moments for your beautiful family this week.

Love + Light

Kirsty

Kirsty from Invisible Crown

I am a Mum from Cronulla with 4 children. I coach women who want to change how they live on a deeper level. Holding space for you to energetically understand your blocks and release your limiting beliefs that are blocking you from loving who you are seeing your enoughness.

My favs are early mornings, meditating with my kids, deep soul chats, the ocean, yoga, masala chai tea (or any tea. I’m slightly obsessed!) and beers and sunsets all over the world with my hubby.