Good morning, friends!
So here we are, approaching Labor Day weekend and the un-official end-of-summer. (I was trying to explain to Piper yesterday how Labor Day marks the end of summer, but that Fall doesn’t really begin until September 21st…)
This summer has been wonderful, and chaotic and fun and discombobulating and a total break. Although – as I’m sure you know – being a parent doesn’t really come with breaks. Amiright? Weekends and vacations often just mean more hands-on parenting time.
This summer, though we had her enrolled in camps and had the help and care from family at times, I’ve had a lot of just Mommy-and-Piper Time. I will first say that yes, I’m grateful to have had so much time with her for just relaxing and playing! It’s been so fun and we need it! During the school year it’s often just mornings and evenings together – and they can be rushed and full of activity.
But I’m also gonna admit right here that it’s been hard. For all I know about young children and teaching – it’s hard to apply as a parent. I know that structure and routine are so important . But being the parent/teacher/playmate, while simultaneous being business owner, a wife, a person trying to unpack her home, a daughter, as sister, etc. is difficult. Routines and schedules get disrupted often. Things don’t go according to plan – most days. And although I’m getting a lot of one-on-one time with Piper, I may not be being the most effective parent at times.
Which brings me to this week’s video and this week’s guest that I’m very happy to share with you. Vered is a mulit-award-winning singer/songwriter for parents and children, as well as being a therapist, teacher and mom of three. Her songs and music have grown out of her classes and her family. She even started a parenting vlog last year which I love. She’s an expert in the field of parenting, parent-child bonding and children – but what I love about her vlog is that although she’s an expert she shows how she grapples with all the same things you and I grapple with: work/life balance and the “right” ways to parent (are there really “right” ways?)
In this song and video is a little different because Vered is speaking to the parents! And we take the song “This Little Light of Mine” and change the lyrics to “This Little Baby Of Mine”. And with those lyrics she emphasizes the need, as parents, to let children try things, to let them cry when they struggle with the “trying”, and then to hold them tight and comfort them. But that ll pieces – trying, crying and holding are equally important to their development.
I’ve often been one to struggle with the crying part. Out of my deep love for her, I find myself anting to protect my daughter from hurt feelings or sadness – but if I comfort her before she’s had a chance to cry and/or experience her frustration and/or her anger – I do her a real disservice. So – I find this video to be a great reminder. And I find all of Vered’s vlogs to be wonderfully informative and/or comforting. She also has a new album out about, Sisters and Brothers, that is garnering awards and accolades from around the globe. Visit http://babyintune.com/music/ to check out/buy her music.
And for her vlog visit:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdTIV6iAfQ2E8RAaLxFnxuw
Enjoy and I’ll see you in your inbox next Tuesday!
