Peace.
Seems elusive, right? Shouldn’t it just happen? But there’s action required to making peace, keeping the peace, finding peace.. That’s why there’s a United Nations. The whole world has to work to find peace. And so it goes in families. Your house is the United Nations. Moms = UN Secretary General.
As the summer shifts to fall, and back-to-school is on everyone’s minds, here are 3 tips to Keep the Peace in your own household.
Create ambience in your kitchen.
Light a candle. Keep some flowers on the table. Transform the space where all the stuff of school happens – backpacks, shoes, lunchboxes, arguments over eating breakfast – all in the kitchen, aka “command central.” If it’s still dark out, that small little glow of a candle just feels peaceful. And, if aromatherapy is your thing, pick a scent that will enhance that kid’s brain and get it ready for some learning (hint: rosemary is believed to help retain memory). Just don’t forget to blow out the candle (safety first!) before you dash out the door. The flowers, by the way, are for you.
Stagger your kids’ wake times.
If you have more than one kiddo going to school, consider staggering who gets up first. You know your kids. You know the one that might just need an extra minute to wake up without arguing with a sibling first thing or who needs more time in the bathroom or who just needs more time eating breakfast (in your nice, cozy kitchen with the candle and pretty flowers). Yes, you’ll have to get up a little earlier. Maybe this is only the first couple weeks as you settle into the back-to-school routine. If your goal is peace, for them and for yourself, it just might be worth it.
Prepare the night before.
Not just them. YOU. Set the timer on the coffeemaker to go off automatically. You will thank your nighttime self for this little gift in the morning. Lay out your own clothes the night before so there’s no thinking involved. Can you really ponder black pants vs. blue pants when someone is fussing about getting up for school? And avoid the pull of checking emails or social media right before bed. Unplug so you can actually get the sleep you need. Take that bath. Give yourself the wind down time required for a really good night’s sleep. Tranquility starts with you. Feel the zen!
Peace. It can be done. Strive towards contentment, completeness, wholeness, well-being, and harmony. These little things are sometimes the moments your kids remember long after they’ve graduated from high school. Shalom.
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