A lot of change has been going on in our lifes recently!
First of all life with Jamie was getting difficult! He was getting tantrums at everything and was grumpy and whiny all the time. So I went back to basics. Which to me is always waldorf! I bought some books of Donna Simmons (Kindergarten for 3-6 year olds and the journey begins at home) and it has changed everything to the better! we now have a really good rhythm to our day and I am totally centered with everything to do with Jamie and it so helps to keep him happy! Tweaking our rhythm was quiet easy and only involved one real change which was to go outside for a walk straight after breakfast! Jamie has so much energy he simply isn´t happy to just play after breakfast. Then he is happy when we get back and I do all the cooking and cleaning :)
One little change and our days work so much better!
I have also lost 23 lbs since the 6th November !! Yesterday I put on the jeans that I bought before I got pregnant with jamie and they fit!!! So paleo eating it is - I feel great with it!
I have read so many many great books recently, The genius of play just totally reassured me that what we are doing is just enough. We don´t need any formal learning at Jamie´s age at all. He learns everything he needs while playing!
Raising Happiness has not so much changed my parenting but my own happiness... I had to realise that I cannot be 24h a day of just being a mother.. I need some time to myself to do things that are important to me. So I have started having time to just myself while Ben looks after Jamie and I feel really good about it.
Phases of childhood is a very very interesting book! I totally recommend it!
Free range kids is an eye opener! I am not a big worrier anyway and this book made it even clearer that kids need their freedom !!
Playful parenting , there wasn´t that much new in here as that is how I parent a lot! But still a good read.
No wonder I never get time to update this blog!
23lbs that is wonderful! Congrats!!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for the great list of book suggestions! Free range kids is the first one I am going to read off of your list:)
My little man is the same age as your Jamie, I think. We have been going through many of the same phases lately. We use a Waldorf style of education for our older girls and that has been such a gift to our family. It takes a little more effort, conscious living and a little studying on our part but the result is so worth the extra effort.
I have that Donna Simmons book and I was planning on bringing it out this summer, but I may have to bring it out a little sooner now:))
Thank you! I love waldorf education and especially that it makes me learn so much about myself. Whenever there´s a phase that´s hard going it almost always resolves itself once I start working on MY behaviour. The main thing for me is to be centered and THERE right in the moment. It does mean putting certain things aside (like my own needs sometimes lol) but in other ways so much is gained. I have rarely seen many children play with the intensity that he does..
ReplyDeleteHow old is your lo? That book is brillant , it´s not so much a curriculum but just a reminder that the main thing for kids that age is to just experience "life" .. I especially love her toy recommendations :)
Here, here....you have taken words out of my mouth!!
ReplyDeleteMy little man was was born in August of 2009:))
Hiya, just found you uhm..somewhere and saw that you're a) from Germany (ich auch) and b) a 'natural mum'. Ding Dong. :) Am looking forward to hearing more about your journey etc. :)
ReplyDeleteNev