I, Stephanie Gregory, am a mom of four wonderful people ranging in ages 5 years old to 28 years old! I am PASSIONATE about the subject of children and their well-being and as a former home-school teacher strengthening their emotional, spiritual, mental, and physical health is the priority.
We are all in a boat which we did NOT choose. Are you Excited? Frustrated? Scared? It really doesn’t matter….. The only thing that matters is:
Are you going to lead your family through these unchartered waters or.. sit back and watch the ship go down? 🆘
I am going to be so bold as to predict that you ❤️love your children too much to sit back and watch the ship go down. But how? It will take patience and grit.
To successfully navigate these unknown waters, the following skills must be applied with INTENTION and 😀A POSITIVE ATTITUDE:
1. Have a Command Center – Depending on your kids’ skills/age, it may be in one central place or an individual space for their workspace. Either way, you/they need to be able to put their hands on their work easily and consistently. Organize the priorities! “A place for everything & everything in its place.”😉
2.“All Hands on Deck” the family meeting 👨👩👧👦- Communicate with a positive attitude. Have your diffuser going with Young Living’s Citrus Fresh, Clarity,or Lemon and Peppermint to keep brains thinking clearly. This is where you set the ground rules, schedules, tasks, consequences, and ⏰time blocks. This is also where you problem-solve. You can receive feedback about what works and what does not work. However, only allow problems to be discussed if accompanied by a suggested solution.💡
3. Establish Respect – This means MANNERS. Yes, Miss Manners is alive and well on this happy ship. If you have let things slide in the past, time to start a new program or someone will have to walk the plank. Being around one another 24/7 requires patience, slowing down and listening👂 to how we communicate. If you fail to do this, your happy ship 🚣♀️starts taking on water.
4.“Be the Captain of your own Boat.” A negative attitude trickles down.
*Be the number one encourager in your home!
*Honor each child’s learning style.
*Be flexible
5. Home Economics just got on the books! 📕This long forgotten art is back in town! Here is your chance to instruct on the “how-to’s” of cooking, swabbing the deck, maintenance, pet/child care, and healthy self-care. Using Thieves Household Cleaner assures your family is safe from toxins! Never has it been more obvious than now how taking care of our bodies and minds impacts our lives, as well as the lives of others. No matter how much education you have or how much money you make, if you are not healthy…..your boat sinks!
6.Make It FUN!!! 🎤Sing – Laugh – Be Silly! Making memories last a lifetime! Your kids may tell you to quit, but secretly they want permission to be silly too. Hug and kiss and tickle! Sailing with your family is fun!
7.Take Breaks Often. Getting outside is part of the curriculum. 🌞 Vitamin D is essential to our well-being. The outdoor time is as necessary as the seat work.
8.Incentivize – We all have areas of weakness. Recognize your child’s struggles and help them strengthen 💪those areas by offering incentives for their effort in these areas. It will be different for each child or adult.
9. God gave your children to you specifically! No one cares more about them than you do. Great teachers are great facilitators. This is your chance to be a great facilitator! Help your children learn for themselves. Equip them with the tools and skills required to find the answers. It is a life skill everyone needs. Look at our situation now. We are all having to learn new ways. Teach them while they are young how to learn, and they will be able to adapt easily to situations they encounter.
10.Focus – There are two types of focus that I would like to present. Diffusing certain essential oils helps with both! One is the ability to stay on task. This takes training. Staying focused takes intention, consistency, incentives, and grit. The second focus is our attitude. This is a place where we, as parents, can model a positive attitude toward every situation. Bad and good things happen to everyone. It is part of humanity. Having a positive attitude equips us to be a part of the solution and not a part of the problem.
11.Patience with yourself and others is imperative. Squalls happen. We all make mistakes. Oil up, put your oars back in the water, and do better next time. Lead by example by NOT getting discouraged with failure.
12.Carefully select who and what you let in YOUR head and theirs. What are you and your children listening to in the way of conversation, music, and screen? Is it encouraging and helpful? If not☠️, just say “No”. Again, go back to #4 if this is questionable.
13.Establish a bedtime routine. 💤 Sleep is so important for overall health. Turn off devices, as well as Wifi before bed. Baths🛀, reading, yoga or stretching can also help relax the body and mind. See what works for your ship. Diffuse Peace and Calming, Lavender, Raven, or Cedarwood in each bedroom throughout the night so that everyone wakes up refreshed and recharged!
😄Above all….
ENJOY EACH OTHER!
Cherish this time together! Ride the waves! 🏄♀️
It will be over before you know it!
⛵️ HAPPY SAILING!
