Parenting our children, ourselves, & humanity
Small children suck at dining in restaurants. But if the restaurant deities are whispering to you and you simply must heed their call, here's some advice to help you navigate the experience with your spirit and dignity (mostly) intact.
Small children live in the present moment, in the now. They are in deep, laser focused, inextricably tangled up in their object of engagement. Don't let that little one bogart all the wonder - take a toke next time it passes around. Join that magical mystery tour and strive to see the world purely, as through a child's, once more.
Humans have largely lost their villages, replacing them with screens and the stories they tell. To update the old saying, it takes a village to raise both children and parents alike. Who - or what - is in your village?
The season of giving is upon us, for certain, but the spirit of generosity is alive and well year-round. As parents and caregivers, we can help our children as they experience all kinds of feelings, among them the joy that comes from authentic generosity. When we strengthen their hearts and souls, we strengthen our own in turn.
Here's the best tantrum tip I can offer you, totally free.
Don't spend 40 bucks on toys to distract your child from a normal, healthy part of their development. Period.
Behold, the marimo. A spherical scrap of cuteness that took over my mind like a virus. While they are indeed cute, my marimo madness has another, more deeper explanation, one that takes me to the very heart of what it means to be alive on this planet.
If, or rather, when, they leave us, it doesn't mean they love us any less. And perhaps it means we come to love them even more.
Sometimes, appreciating a tasty meal or some fantastic glue is enough to make us feel a little less alone, and to remind us of the time when we were once cared for, sheltered, and held by the very gods themselves.
It is the new year, as celebrated by some of our ancestors. One more journey around the sun. Time to take stock.
