Nurturing Self and Family

Let's make a plan to nurture (to encourage someone to flourish or thrive) ourselves and our family members.  In order to do that, we must first have a plan of action.  Take time to choose activities that will allow you to feel nurtured.  Take time to meditate on those things that assist you in flourishing or growing as an adult and focus also on those things that help your child to flourish.  Examples for an adult might be:

• Time at the gym
• Quiet time/Reading
• A nature walk
• A day at the spa or a bubble bath

Examples for a child might be:

• Time at the playground
• Story time
• Sitting with mom or dad in a cuddly chair
• Exploring

Whatever you choose to do to nurture self and family members, make sure you schedule the time out to DO IT.  It's great to have all of the ideas of activities, but you must also make sure to set aside the time to put these activities into action.  If you don't find that you have time to do them due to household chores or other obligations, don't be afraid to ask others for help with those things.  Once you can set aside a few hours a week for yourself and for your family's nurturing time, you will not want to do without it.  Your family will thrive as a unit and individually.

Teaching Time-Outs

Training your child the process of a time-out can be crucial to its successful use.  One can't expect a child to know how to do a time-out properly without a review of the process.  Here are a few steps that will help you to explain and discuss a time-out with your child.

1.  Ask your child:

• What is a time-out?

• Why do children have to take time-outs?

• How do you take a time out?

2.  Show them by role-playing how to take a time out.  Show

them how to go to the time-out area and sit or stand quietly.

3.  Allow them to review and model how to take a time out.

4.  Also show them the wrong way (being noisy, complaining, continually asking to get up) to take a time out, and then finalize by going back to the appropriate model of a time-out.

5.  Give examples of when a time-out might be necessary and allow the children to act out the proper way to take a time out.

Reference
Bavolek, S., (2007) Nurturing Skills For Families.  Family Development Resources, Inc.

Laughter

Keeping everyday life fun is another valued part of the nurturing family.  Families should take every opportunity to enjoy fun and laughter in their family time.  Laughter and fun activities will increase health while increasing family bonds.  Laughter is known to reduce stress and pain, and aid in healing. 

What can I do to increase laughter in my home?

Here are some sure-fire ways to make your kids giggle…

• Fun games like cards or board games:  My family rolled
  
  on the floor laughing when we got a new silly game.  This game had us doing random things that were hilarious!  I found myself pretending to be a moon researcher, making beeping noises and scanning my surroundings, or being a ballerina with a tissue paper tutu.  The kids loved this silly game.
• Outside games:  Get out the ball and bat, and have a day of baseball fun!  If baseball isn’t your thing find a sport you can enjoy together.  Don’t make it about winning, but make it about fun.  My family enjoys an occasional basketball game of "pig" or "horse" and we laugh so hard at the crazy ways we score...and the crazy ways that mom misses!  
• Tickle them:  Take time for silly play.  Tickle those toes and bellies! 
• Music fun:  Turn up the beat!  Have a dance party.  Jump around and have a good time!
• Take turns sharing jokes:  You’d be surprised with the silly mayhem that ensues when you ask your little ones to tell a joke.  The whole family will be laughing.