Introduce your child to their Mother
I let my children know from early on that they have another Mother. Their other Mother is always kind, patient, and unconditionally loving. That Mother has a lap that will hold them anytime, no matter how big they get or how angry they are. That mother always understands them and is always with them. I want them to know this Mother and I foster their relationship with her daily.
As parents and as teachers it is important to remember that we are not here to meet all the needs and requests of our children. Unconditional love is available to them, but we, being also human and immersed in this life drama are required to create conditions and boundaries for their behavior and actions. We can acknowledge this truth to ourselves and to them and also introduce them to sanctuary from which to to refill their deepest wells and receive boundless love, protection and release.
The greatest of these, the most accessible and the most human is fostering a strong and nurturing connection with Mother Earth. ❤ Karen
Activity 1: When Sophie Gets Angry
Read When Sophie Gets Angry- Really, really Angry by Molly Bang (Free Online Here and available on Kindle or Google Play). Sophie having fought over a toy with her sister and not finding support with her mother runs to the forest. She runs to her favorite tree and finds peace. This is one of my very favorite books because it truly is that simple to move from disharmony to harmony when we take our problems to the Earth.
Activity 2: Earthing
Create a sensory path outside using various materials like bark, rock, mud, ice, pine needles, crackly leaves, moss, moist grass, sticks, logs, sand or whatever you can imagine. I like to lay them down one after the other, like an obstacle course. Then invite the children to remove their socks and shoes and place their feet on the ground. When in contact with the Earth, the body becomes infused with negatively charged electrons and that is a good thing. See my earlier post, Sitting with Trees, to know the science behind the calming reaction in your body and mind when you physically connect with the Earth. For fun, walk the course you have created or create a new one together.
Activity 3: Sit spot
It’s really important that your child have their own special safe place. Most children will tell me that place is their bed. This is where they go to process big emotions. Just like Sophie in our book, we should encourage our children to find another special place outside. It is best if this place is in your yard or on the grounds of your apartment complex. For the older child, it can be someplace they ride their bike or hike to. It’s best if they can find it on their own without you. To help your child find a spot, model going to a spot yourself. If you’ve ever read Carlos Castenada’s book, The Teachings of Don Juan, you may remember the author finding his power spot. It need not take as long as that, but just find the spot that makes you feel good, where you are comfortable to sit and to watch the world. Tell your child we are going to sit and watch the world. Have your child pick a power spot. It can be near to you, but not close enough to encourage conversation for this is a quiet activity. It is not necessarily meditation, although that is certainly fine to do, fidgeting is ok and it is also just fine if you want to journal during your sit. Begin with a short time, about 5 minutes for younger children and longer for older, working your way up to 40 minutes or more. After doing this activity for many times, you and your child will feel a deep connection with your spot. You both will also notice how you gradually become an accepted part of the landscape. Animals will resume their activity after about 20-40 minutes and the more often you visit your spot, the more quickly they become accustomed to your presence. You and your child will be gifted with amazing and meaningful encounters, that will often answer you.
Activity 4: Release to the Earth
The most important step of treatment is to release and let go of your prayer and to trust absolutely in Spirit to take care of everything. There are so many ways to teach this to children.
An activity to do anytime, and especially wonderful at bedtime is to tell your child a story to help them to visualize all their problems dissolving into Mother Earth. Anytime they have anxiety, simply tell them to pack all of their worries and troubles, all of the bad thoughts and words into a beautiful basket. Next, place the basket in a safe place on Mother Earth, maybe their power spot, or they can bury it like a treasure. Let them know that Mother Earth will take care of it for them. If it is a really big problem, let them know that Mother Earth has magic powers than can fix anything, even this and that she loves them so much that it is her honor and pleasure to take care of them. They don’t have to do anything. Have them feel their body after releasing their burdens to her, light and free from the thoughts that weigh them down.
For more ideas like this, I highly recommend Maureen Garth’s Moonbeam: A Book of Meditations for Children.
Activity 5: Mother I feel You
Singing brings soulful connection and oneness. It lifts the Spirit and can even help access Divine realms. Everyone benefits from singing and it is especially important in supporting the rhythmic body in children ages 9-13.
Mother I feel you by Windsong Dianne Martin is great for the rhythmic body, with strong percussive beats and repetition.
I am the Earth is also a wonderful song for this topic. Repetition and familiarity are strong anchors for children, so bring back again and again favorite songs.
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