summer of love 2015 — week 5

week 5. Can you believe it?!? Week 5! we’re half way through the Summer of Love. And so week 5 is all about enjoying. Enjoying our kids exactly where they are.

  • with the whining.
  • the mouth-wide-open chewing.
  • the roughly 1400 requests for water-food-bathroom-book-different pj’s-blankets-night light-door open-bedtimes.

Enjoy it.

Ummmm. Right. Sure. How, exactly? How are we supposed to do that? By not helping. Not correcting. Not reminding. Not changing.

By letting them be. Exactly as they are. Right at this age & stage.

  • Watch those lips. Then smile.
  • Hear the whine. And ignore.
  • Fill that glass of water and try not to roll your eyes.

Because they hear us, all day long. They know what needs to be changed. They are working on it. (even if it isn’t exactly obvious). They are growing. Trying. Learning. And it takes time. So give them the space for it all to sink in.

How much? How often? 5 times. 5 times a day keep your thoughts to yourself. Your lips closed. Your face from showing your emotions. 5 times a day back in their current greatness–flaws and all. 5 times a day stop mid-thought, mid-correction, mid-instruction.

Parenting has become our project. Our hobby. Our DIY. Take a break from the fixing. Enjoy how great they are, right now. Bask in it.

Because when we don’t? They only messages they get are: do more, do better, do differently. The only times they hear from us are when we see what needs to be done.

SO STOP. SERIOUSLY. Five times a day. Keep track. Make hash marks on a sticky note, jot a note on your phone app, record it as a voice memo. However you need to count, do it. Five times a day say nothing, and smile at the glorious now-ness that is your child.

the audio? here it is! Our audio mixologist Heather added something special 1 min 30 seconds in. Aren’t you curious? I was…here it is.

Want to go back and review?

week 4 was for 4 out the door.
week 3 was for 3 Mississippi.
week 2 was for 2 gratitudes.
week 1 was for 1 ladybug sized thing.

Free Guide: 5 changes in 5 minutes to make parenting better, easier, right now!