Happy New Year – Happy New Day :-)

Happy New Year – Let’s make it a great one, the one where we achieve all we want on our parenting journey, to have the happy family, to really connect and communicate with our kids in a positive and effective way and to feel confident in what we’re doing, knowing we are getting it right and always doing our best 

We often start a new year with good intentions, of doing things differently and ‘better’ we often know what to do, e.g. eat better, drink more water less alcohol Maybe?!) Get more sleep do more exercise, etc. I’d like you to think of how you start each new day  The way we start the day sets us up for what is to come. A lovely family I worked with recently found that after making some changes to their morning routine, they saw the difference in their children and the family’s relationship, things improved  it was especially helpful for their son who is on Autistic Spectrum.

Like a lot of families their morning was a bit hectic, rushed, a bit of yelling, shouting, not very organised and a stressful experience. My first suggestion wasn’t greeted with much enthusiasm … get up half an hour earlier! If possible, create a peaceful and calm atmosphere for the children to wake up to, if they wake before you, do it with them, put soothing music on (preferably no tv!) depending on the age of the children no phones on for at least that half hour. Light scented candles or have a diffuser using essential oils, lavender, geranium, uplifting wild orange, or any you like  We want a calm, peaceful and love filled atmosphere as possible. Your children sense your mood, they pick up on the energy (the electromagnetic field) you are emitting. So what you are thinking, feeling will affect them, just as we can sense an ‘atmosphere’ in a room or the great ‘vibes’ in a place, so can our children, they are very sensitive to it. I often hear parents who are having a difficult time in their relationship, not really happy with each other, tell me that the children don’t know … just because you haven’t told them, doesn’t mean they don’t know!

Be organised, prepare the night before, enlist your children’s help, encourage them to take responsibility. Check what’s needed for the morning, lunch boxes done, P.E kits ready, school books packed, forms from school signed if needed. I do remember chaos in our house, when my three boys were at home. I didn’t practice what I’m sharing here, we’d have shouting and yelling and ‘where’s my rugby socks’ who’s moved my school bag, where’s the form I have to take back to day … all avoidable.

You may have heard it before … failing to plan is planning to fail, quote attributed to Alan Lakein and mentioned by Stephen R Covey in his book “7 Habits of Highly Successful People” and very true, it really is worth the time to plan, get orgainsed it saves time and stress 