January 17, 2008 6:23 AM
Keeping kids warm - inside and out
I'm so excited! Today we're finally going to see some snow. It's really only snowed once here this year - I was away in Boston covering a story and by the time I came home the next day, it was all gone. I did get to see snow in Boston, but it was not the clean white snow of rural Virginia.
So today there's 100% chance - how often do they say that? - of deep, delicious snow. They're predicting 4-6 inches. My kids were so hoping that it would start before school and they would have the day off. While smiling, I was so secretly hoping it wouldn't as I have so much to catch up on after being away from my work-at-home for two days :)
Yesterday Jesse and I drove 2 hours to Baltimore to see Dr. Capone. I got hopelessly lost on the way up and was frantic - you know that feeling of being lost in unfamiliar territory and watching the clock tick past your appointed time? Finally, I used my cell phone to call Kennedy-Kreiger to be guided in by a security guard. How amazing when God makes sure some angel in the form of another person helps you when you desperately need it! I always see these things as reminders of how God loves me and is watching out for me.
And though I was an hour late, Dr. Capone was gracious and relaxed. I have found that in the medical profession, the higher up a doctor is in terms of accomplishments and fame, the more gracious and kind - the more human - they are. You don't see that as much in other professions.
Sophia had a concert at last night - beautiful choral music. How blessed we are that the arts are alive and well in Loudoun County Public Schools! Thank you Mr. Thompson for your dedication to your craft, for your choice of complex and challenging music, and for challenging your students to do their best. It was magnificent!
So this morning, we're back to normal and after putting five kids on three buses (Sophia drives herself so I don't have to pick her up from rehearsal after school), I can take some deep breaths, put in a load of laundry, make myself a cup of coffee and spend some time with friends.
Ahhh. That's better - after two days of stress, I can relax and communicate about the things that matter most.
Goethe once said, “The things that matter most should never be at the mercy of things which matter least.â€
What I want you all to know is that even though my recent posts have focused on a particular problem, 90% of my life is going great and I do not feel overwhelmed at all. I just feel it’s my responsibility to speak out on behalf of my kids and other parents who are not being respected and who are too busy working at being good citizens/parents to speak up and speak out.
So let’s put that pesky problem aside for the rest of today and talk about the things that matter most – our children.
I wanted to share a couple little things I’ve been doing to get my kids off to a good start each day.
Daniel is the first to get up in the morning (well, really, Tripp is, but he leaves at 6:00 - thank you, Big Man!). I wake up Daniel at 6:30. Since Jonny is still in bed and doesn’t have to get up until 7:15, I think of it as a surgical strike – getting Daniel downstairs without disturbing Jonny’s sleep. Our house is cold in the morning because to save money, we turn the heat down drastically at night. So lately, I’ve been putting Daniel’s clothes in the dryer and warming them up as an incentive for him to come downstairs, go to the bathroom, and get dressed quickly.
One of the most wonderful feelings in the world, I think, is when you’re in the hospital and cover you with a warm blanket and you melt. So I enjoy the huge smile on Daniel when he puts on his warm clothes.
I give Daniel breakfast and dash upstairs for another surgical strike – getting Justin out of bed without waking Jesse. Justin goes to the bathroom (heated by now) and gets himself dressed while I dash back downstairs and throw Daniel’s jacket, hat and gloves in the dryer for a few minutes. Justin comes down and I give him his breakfast, then say goodbye to Daniel when his bus comes at 7:10. I throw Justin’s jacket and hat in the dryer and then see him off when his bus comes at 7:20.
Then I wake up Jonny in Bedroom 1 and Jesse in Bedroom 2, and make sure Maddy and Sophia are up and on track. Maddy, Jonny, and Jesse catch the bus at 8:00. Sophia leaves at 8:20. Along the way, I heat more jackets and hats in the dryer.
There are days when all this takes place in a peaceful and orderly way. And there are days when it all falls apart. But I’ve found that adding the warm jackets is an incentive.
So is music - and recently I’ve remembered and been depending more on the soothing quality of classical music (see Head Start on the Arts). Parents, please, if classical music is not part of your background (it wasn’t part of mine growing up), consider using it in your home. It is uplifting and soothing and will have a very beneficial effect on your children, your relationships, and the spirit of your home.
This is my favorite CD to play in the morning to get my kids off to a good start – or any time I want to create a pleasing atmosphere in my home:
You can listen to samples and buy it here or download an MP3 album here. Remember, when you buy or download through MommyLife Amazon links, you support the upkeep of my site – thank you! (and please know I never recommend anything I wouldn’t buy myself).
Okay, so now I’ve warmed their bodies and stirred the music in their souls before they leave for school.
The last thing I do is give them a blessing. I think this is so important and I heartily recommend parents add this to their daily life.
We are fortunate to live near a cul-de-sac, so we can look out the window and see the bus coming down the road, where it will have to pass our house and turn around before passing back by to pick up my kids at the end of our driveway. When we see the bus, I give my child a big hug and say:
This is a Judeo-Christian blessing from the Bible - Numbers 6:24-26. I’ve been using it to bless our children since Joshua (now 24) was a little boy. I really want to encourage you to consider making blessing your children a tradition in your family too.
Sometimes it’s these little things that matter most. And when times are tough in some area, when others disappoint us, these continuing anchors in our lives keep us steady and keep things in perspective.
This morning, as I finish my last sip of coffee and go on to switch the laundry to the dryer, then begin to bring some order to the chaos on my desk and get all these books in the mail to those of you who won them in my Book Giveaway (don’t forget to let me know!), let me pass that blessing on to you:
Posted in Mothering, Music, My life | Permalink
Comments
Thanks for that encouraging post! I've just found your site and have been really enjoying it.
I love the idea of the blessing. Our words are so important and really have an impact on our children.
When I read the part about the music, and noticed it was the harp, I thought of David and how he played the harp for King Saul when he was spiritually afflicted, how it soothed him.
Posted by: Victoria | January 17, 2008 10:12 AM
I love those verses- beautiful. My husband is a pastor and often says those words to our congregation as they leave.
Posted by: Tara | January 17, 2008 1:13 PM
Warming up the outerwear in the dryer for your kids is just about the wonderfulest thing I've heard of in a while. What a loving mom you are.
Posted by: Amy K. | January 17, 2008 8:18 PM
