by Amanda Fischer, Director of Lifespan Learning
Have you ever watched a toddler investigating a puddle? What about a school-aged child rolling down a hill over and over again? Children are often awake to the beauty and fascination of the world around them in ways that adults have forgotten. This month, our task is to awaken: to the present moment, to our thoughts and feelings, to the gentle unfolding of spring, to the world around us in all its beauty, glory, sadness and pain. Here are some ways your family can explore awakening together this month.
Go for a nature walk as a family and use your senses. Stop and listen — see how many different sounds you can name. Stop and sniff — see how many smells you can decipher.
Try some of the activities from Planting Seeds: Practicing Mindfulness with Children by Thich Nhat Hahn, available at your local library.
Wake up to your own child by scheduling some focused “parent attention time” each week this month where you follow his or her lead and interests.
Watch the movie Avatar with your children (PG). Discuss together the different ways in which the characters “awaken.”
Spring is here (at least the calendar says so!) and the world outdoors is awakening. Throughout the month of April, we’re inviting congregants to spend some time in nature, and bring in natural objects from your experience to decorate the altar at the front of our sanctuary.
Give it a try.