So I had an entire Wednesday planned for myself with meditation, journaling, gardening 101 and pouring into myself. Then the weather in New Orleans said "just kidding it's going to storm and you should keep your kids home too. "
I needed a moment ya'll, because my mind was not prepared to be home with my entire family (hubby included) for the whole day. My boys are four year old twins full of life and all the energy you can think of and then some. One thing I realized, as it is with a lot of kids at their age, they want activities and your attention. So, we leaned into what Mommy wanted to do with a twist of making it fun healing experience for them. This is one of my favorite ways to connect, bond, and learn their personalities on a deeper level.
I have to say I didn't end the day with the resentment and regret I anticipated. I actually found myself in a space of gratitude that I had the day to work with them and teach them practices they will be able to take into their life. Don't get me wrong, the day wasn't perfect, but it was smoother and calmer than I anticipated.
I want to share these healing rainy day activities we did together. They are great if you have little ones or know someone with little ones who are looking for ways to help them regulate their developing nervous systems.
In between each activity I would take about 30 minutes to an hour to do my own journaling, meditation, snack prep etc. These breaks would be directly after we just finished an activity, so they were more than willing to play on their own until the next activity.
Okay ya'll here we go!
Crystal Healing & Meditation
Crystals carry amazing healing properties from the Earth. Each crystal has it's own DNA that allows it to heal specific physical and spiritual wounds and limitations. The boys have their own set of crystals that I use for their healing, usually when they are sleeping.
Today, we laid all their crystals out and talked about the color and chakra (or simply what body part) the crystal is "super duper awesome" at healing. I let them pick out which crystals they wanted to meditate with. We laid down for about 5-10 minutes with our crystals (they're 4years old, my expectations are real lol). This is a good opportunity to talk them through a body scan. I ask them how their bodies are feeling and what is it like having the energy of the crystal on their bodies. It's so much fun hearing their perspective and intuitive thoughts. This is a great way to develop a mind body connection for their awareness. This activity was also a fun way to introduce crystals to them and how they can help them manage their big feelings through a moment of stillness. The boys loved this activity because they each have a different set of crystals. This gives them a great opportunity to learn from each other and take pride in their individuality. Check out some of our crystals here.
2. Herbal Tea Making
I've never been one that loved cooking or the kitchen. However, when I learned the power of working with herbs and how they can heal us physically and spiritually I was sold!
I am still learning a lot, especially when it comes to the cooking part, but making herbal teas and baths have been my jam for a while now. Whether it is healing lower back pain and blockages in the root chakra (energy center of stability and security) or nourishing the skin and solar chakra (energy center of self worth and personal power), the herbs help us clear stagnancy and physical limitations in a powerful way. I love to call it a 2 for 1 special.
You can do this activity with pre packaged tea or loose herbs, whichever works best for you. The fun part is having them engage their senses. I have the boys smell the herbs, describe how they smell, and we talk about what the herb is great at healing. I also have them describe how the herb looks. I love using loose herbs. I will have them place a small amount in their hand and describe the texture of the herbs. We then place it in a muslin bag and pot, where I have them stir it and we will say affirmations over the pot. We let the tea cool and they get to "cheers" their cups and have "Big Boy Tea." The perfect transition for me to take a Mommy break. Today we made a peppermint tea and added lemon with lots of honey.
3. Cosmic Kids Yoga
Now this is one of my favorite activities that we do, even when it isn't raining. Cosmic Kids Yoga is an awesome YouTube channel that provides yoga for kids in such a fun and interactive way. From Ninja Turtles to Sonic, they have engaging videos that keep the kiddos moving up and down through different yoga moves that align with the theme of the characters and adventures. You can either participate with them or take a break and coach them from the sofa. Of course my boys are more engaged when I do it with them, but when mommy needs a break she takes it! I love this activity because it's a great way to ensure they are getting mindful movement in their day.
4. Water Grounding
Our final activity of the day was taking an early bath. Water is a great way to calm the nervous system, connect the senses to stability, and promotes mindfulness while in the water. This is a great way to clear any stagnancy off your little one (icky feelings, irritation, restlessness). I let this activity be more organic than our usual bedtime routine. I add Epsom salt to their bath to help with grounding and healing any soreness in their bodies and set an intention for the bath to ground and ease them into the evening. Sometimes we will even add an herbal bag with basil and/or lavender to encourage a more relaxed energy before bed. On this rainy day, they stayed in the tub for almost an hour and it was a heavenly mommy break -with some check ins of course! Once out of the tub, I pick colorful but grounding colors in their clothes to help them maintain the energy of the bath with them for the rest of the evening.
If it is a rainy day, snow day, or a slow weekend, I hope you are able to lean into some of the activities to promote healing, stability, and memories into your day with your family.
Happy Healing <3
-Shanda