Happy New Year folks! Hope your first day of 2016 has been filled with the luxuries of family, love, inspiration and fun… And may it continue to be so.
This holiday, I’ve keenly observed as Aanavi interacts with the world and other people more and more. It’s incredibly exciting as a parent to watch her wonder at everything as she experiences them for the first time. Her first swim, feeding giraffes, understanding the concept of Santa, picking seashells, boat rides, experimenting with sounds on a musical instrument, blowing bubbles, flying balloons and so many more!
Watching her, I feel just as excited… Waiting with anticipation to see how she’s going to react to each simple thing and relishing the wide-mouthed expression of sheer AWEsome on her face.
It made me realise – all these things, bubbles, balloons, fireworks, waves… They really are so much fun! As adults we sometimes lose our sense of wonder, taking life’s simplicities for granted. My only real 2016 resolution is to reignite my childlike wonder at absolutely everything – to relish every moment like Aanavi does. 🙂
I usually try to have a ‘word to live by’ every year. This year it’s ‘wonder’.
Other parenting actions I intend to start in 2016 are loosely based on this article I read which I loved:
1. Start a weekly ritual: the three of us love to cook and eat, so once a week we are now going to make something all together involving Aanavi in the process as much as possible. This way we get to spend more time engaging in active fun together – learning, making, using our brains, hands and senses in a way we wouldn’t otherwise.
2. Volunteer as a family. This year we are going to choose a project to support where we can volunteer our time together, building the values of compassion, service and the rippling effects of goodness.
3. Wander with wonder… I want us to take more walks, but with awareness. Walks in our garden, nature walks, walks in public places – but the point is to be observing quite consciously what we see with enquiry. And build our step count while we’re at it! 😉
4. Put down devices! I’ve said it before on the blog and I say it again today, we all need digital detoxes – often! The only way to make sure your kids even stand a chance at this is to model it yourself. In fact, I believe this is important not just for Aanavi but even for the husband and I… To connect by disconnecting!
5. Meditate together. Planting Seeds has some really beautiful meditations for children such as a walking meditation, a pebble meditation and more… Ideas that can easily be adapted even for a toddler. Meditation is the most valuable tool I can offer to Aanavi and more than all of the above, I can’t wait to begin doing this with her.
It’s midnight in Kenya and the first day of 2016 just ended. I am already loving this year and can’t wait for it to unfold its magic as we just live it with wonder.
Wishing you a year filled with all of your favourites. What are your New Year intentions?
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