I think this is a wonderful month to have a “spring cleaning” of the mind for peaceful, simple parenting for the expansive Spring and Summer months that are coming.  What do I mean by that?

• Look, really look at your children.  What developmental stage are they in?  What areas are they having a hard time with?  What could you do to help guide them?  What have you tried in this regard previously?  Don’t do that again if it didn’t work – you know, the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and over and expecting different results!  Try to think outside the box! Get support, gain fresh and new ideas!
• How am I doing with gentle discipline?  Am I falling into places I would rather not be? How can I change that? What is my plan?
• What am I doing to protect and nourish my child’s twelve senses and movement?  How much are we getting outside?
• How many hours of screens is my child seeing each week and can I cut that back, down, out completely?
• How is my child eating?  Homemade nourishing foods?  See if you can refrain from buying processed foods for a week and really focus on whole, simple foods.  How many raw fruits and vegetables is my child eating?
• How much sleep and rest is happening in the family?  Do we have a rhythm toward bedtime and rest times?
• Am I happy with the number of things I, my spouse, my kids, our family is committed to?  Does it need to be less? Can you take a break this Spring?  Will the world come to an end if the kids take one season from sports off and you all hike together instead?
• How are you doing with your spouse?  Do you really know him and where he is these days or is he last on the list at the end of the day?  What is going on these days at work?  What are his favorite things?  Does he feel loved and respected in his home?  Are you spending time together? 
• How are you doing?  Are you feeling healthy and energized?  If not, what are you eating, are you exercising, are you getting enough sleep and rest?  What time are you going to bed?
• What are you reading these days to increase your skills as a positive person, a positive mother, a homeschooling teacher or as a wife?  What artistic work are you doing each week to replenish your own soul?
• Does your family have a mission statement?  If not, now would be a great time to write one.  If you have one, does it need updating?  There is a back post on this blog regarding family mission statements, actually there are several.  If you use the search engine, it should come up for you.
• Finally, are you in connection with that Creator that is higher than yourself if that is in your belief system, or what are you doing to nourish your own spirituality, your own sense of reverence toward the world, your own sense of gratitude and love?

Take that sketch pad I suggested you keep around at the beginning of the month, those colored pencil and crayons and draw yourself a map of these areas and write down or draw your ideas for change!

Happy Spring Cleaning,

Carrie