Hello, dear conscious parent

Today I want to talk about routines and rituals, and why they are vitally important in parenting.
Routines are predictable daily activities that create a sense of safety and certainty. Rituals are repeatable activities that create a sense of connection between a parent and a child.

They are both important because all children- especially under the age of 5 – thrive on predictability, which teaches the child that he/she is safe in the world. This way, the child learns to TRUST that the adults caring for him/her are present, caring and emotionally available. In other words, the child relies on the knowing ( i.e., brain wiring) that the adult is a source of love and connection.

There are no ‘right or wrong, good or bad’ routines or rituals. Each family has its unique values, traditions and priorities. It is the task of each parent to create and prioritize a certain routine or ritual, as the leader of the family. My role is not to tell you what routines and rituals to create for your family, but to urge you to create them.

In my family, with my son, I prioritize routines and rituals in which we consciously, in full awareness and intention, he and I together:

• express our gratitude for each day with specific examples before we leave the house in the morning;
• say a protection prayer before we leave the house in the morning;
• share one thing a day that we “failed” at;
• share one thing a day that felt like a “win” ( a small victory);
• eat together at least once a day, usually breakfast;
• train in Muay Thai and Jiu-Jitsu at the same martial arts school; he comes with me for my class at least once/ week; I take him for his
• classes twice/ week, always on the same two days;
• have Special Time, if not every day, every other day;
• travel in the summer somewhere outside Florida or the United States.

Now it’s YOUR TIME to create, cherish and prioritize routines and rituals that preserve both the feeling of safety for the child, and the connection between you and your child for a lifetime. Let me know what your rituals are on my Facebook page or my Instagram