'What is the Truest and Most Beautiful Vision I Have For My Home Life?’ (& Sweet Bedtime Ritual Ideas!)
I love this question as it awakens my curiousity and opens me up to possibilities. Inspiring actions that I’m actually excited to take.🤸♂️
Engaging life with curiousity, noticing/cultivating beauty and tuning into what lights us up (‘sparks joy’) are reliable strategies in creating an aligned, meaningful (to us) life for ourselves and our families … and the little things we do each day are what count most!
Although the days can seem to run away from us once everyone is awake and moving with our mind popping from one ‘to do’ to another, the beginning and end of the day are reasonable, potent times to bring in rituals that nourish, connect, ground, reset.
Rituals are helpful with young children in supporting any transition. Common rituals you’ll see in early childhood group settings is to use a verse or jingle to begin or end an activity. This works wonders at home a well!
For a young child one of the most significant daily transitions is the transition to sleep at night.
Do you currently love your evening ritual with your child? Or is it a hard time of day for you or your child?
I get that you may be too dang tired to wanna do anything at this time but what if it was something you enjoyed? What might be simple AND nourishing for both you and your child?
Here’s an example of an evening bedtime ritual … take whatever of it you are inspired by:
A simple mindfulness verse to enjoy 4 conscious breaths together with: “I breathe for me. I breathe for you. I breathe for us. I breathe for all things.” Even if your child doesn’t join you it will help you fully arrive in the here and now and that in itself is a huge gift for your bambino!
A story before bed is a lovely way to share time alongside your child at the end the day. Have the story not be too stimulating - the protection stories are nice here … something that has images of or ends with an ‘all is well’ quality and coziness.
If you enjoy candlelight you could light a candle at the start of story time and blow it out at the end of the story (or have them snuff it out with a candle snuffer if they are old enough) and then say a verse/blessing or sing a lullaby you love. These are all de-accelerating to the nervous system and can further help a child transition into rest.
I love poetry and verses for how they calm and bring us into the warmth of our hearts and into a sense of the sweetness of now. Here are two verses that offer a child an image and feeling of safety and being cared for. The first one is a nature based verse and the second is for those of you who believe in guardian angels.
Nourishing Traditions
Bedtime Blessings
Nature Inspired Bedtime Verse
“Now the Sun has gone to bed, The stars are shining over head.
In their nests the birds all sleep, Into their homes the snails will creep.
Children now no more will roam, It’s bedtime now and we’re safe in our home.”
Guardian Angel Blessing from ‘A Star to Guide Me’
“Angels bless and angels keep, Angels guard me while I sleep.
Bless my heart and bless my home, Bless my spirit as I roam.
Guide and guard me through the night, And wake me with the morning light.”
Cultivating a mood of reverence and gratitude is deeply nourishing for the well-being and developing nervous system of a child and supporting their evolving consciousness and it happens in the simple conscious moments.♥️
To making real your truest, most beautiful vision for you and your family!
May your family know connection, love, health and joy, xo, Dr. Monika
Looking for someone to support you and your family to thrive? I am a naturopathic doctor and mama wellness/life coach who works holistically with women and their families so they can feel their absolute best physically AND live fulfilling, meaningful, joy-filled lives. What we receive in childhood from our parents (beliefs, presence, habits of being, love) has a huge influence in our lives. I enjoy working with conscious women who would like someone to walk beside them and support them in doing the inner and outer work so they can share their most beautiful, truest version of themselves with those they love and create a life that they themselves are proud of.
If you are interested in group programs or retreats let us know and we’ll keep you in the loop of upcoming ones.
