Rhythm

Humans desire it. Its consistency beats life-blood through our veins. It's fluid, cyclical, nature-based. We know what to expect. We find solace in it.

The Rhythm of our Lives.

Sounds like a soap opera.

Wikipedia defines it as "a timed movement through space".

We know that our bodies have a sleep clock, a circadian rhythm that guides us toward wake time and rest time.

Shouldn't there be an equally important daytime rhythm?

That's what I'm seeking to understand. I've always been a pretty intentional person, desiring to schedule my time wisely to get the most bang for my buck. Kids have added great chaos to my life. Many times I feel very out of control. So -- to find solutions I have probably over-analyzed and swung back and forth on my ever-moving pendulum, but I have made progress.

Several blog posts have been helping me on my way.

20 Tips for Finding Your Routine with Kids -- VERY practical advice to SAHMs (Stay At Home Moms) reminding us that we are doing a JOB and to treat it as such. Including planned vacation time.

How To Be Disorganized and Unproductive At Home
-- A six-part series that is FULL of helpful reminders and advice. Like I just need to re-read these every week or two.

OK, well at this time I'm pulling most of my inspiration from Simple Mom. It's that good.

There is an educational philosophy/methodology called The Waldorf Method. Rhythm is a big word in these circles of talk. Here's a blog post that introduces the idea:

How The Rhythm Saves Me


I would describe it as finding a daytime flow (whether it be loose or tightly structured) that works for you and your family and keeping it going. You know, to provide the whole stability, knowing what to expect next thing. Kids need to feel this safety net just as much as we adults.

So -- we have naps, quiet alone time, meal-times, inside/outside activity time, friend time, family time...planned into our lives intentionally.

Katrina Kenison, author of Mitten Strings for God, says on the topic, "Certainly when we are living and working in harmony with others, when our days have a shape and a purpose that flows into a larger whole, when we feel rooted in a place and in touch with the natural world around us, we feel safe and secure. Children who grow up in such an atmosphere know what it is to be grounded in themselves and to feel at home in the world."

With structure also comes the need for change. We are currently revamping our "daily rhythm" into something that will work better for everyone. The wind moves, we adjust our sails. The beat changes, we move our bodies to the music.

It's called rhythm. The dance of life.