Conscious Family Journal

Welcome

Conscious parenting.  Mid-life mommies and pre-pubescent sons.  Single parenting, adoption and healthy foods.  Fun family travel.  A deep breath of fresh air.

This is the world of Conscious Family Journal.  Thank you for joining me and my family, as we follow our own path to health, happiness, and maybe just a little wisdom.  Peace!

 Meg Brown, Founder

Welcome, Spring!

What a glorious day. Spring is in the air and I am loving every minute of it.

As the snow melts, all sorts of treasures are showing up in our yard: The snow shovel that had been missing since December; two or three basketballs; a croquet mallet; a bunch of old newspapers, left moldering in a pile under the mailbox.

Yesterday, I found an unopened Fedex package on the side of the driveway. It turned out to be a DVD that I had ordered for my godson's birthday back in January. It was quite a relief to finally locate it; I had been working under the assumption that it had been delivered back around Christmas and that I had misplaced it somewhere in the house.

Of course, I had no memory of actually receiving it. That's the problem. In addition to other peri-menopausal / hormonal lapses, I have totally lost my mind. Or maybe just my memory.

I can't remember.

I was driving home today, enjoying the sunshine, when a wild turkey dropped out of a tree on the side of the road. I love wild turkeys.  They're really cool, and rather historical. Did you know Benjamin Franklin thought the turkey would be a better emblem for our country than the bald eagle? He saw the turkey as "a Bird of Courage", while labeling the bald eagle "a Bird of bad moral Character."

Hmm.

As the cars lined up behind me, I watched sixteen turkeys slowly make their way across the road. Yup. Sixteen of them. As the last proud bird flapped its way up into a tree on the far side of the roadway, the traffic eased back into motion. Every driver that I passed going in the opposite direction was grinning from ear to ear.

I guess wild turkeys will do that for you. Or maybe its just spring.

Spring is a time for letting go and a time for new beginnings. As the weather warms, we emerge from our own hibernation and reengage with the world around us.

It might be time to start thinking about doing a cleanse, or maybe some spring cleaning. Is there someone you need to forgive -- or some old emotional baggage that you need to release? Take a deep breath of fresh, spring air and get started.

This might be a good time to build some new family habits. January (remember those New Year's resolutions?) can be a tough time to get motivated, with all the sluggishness of winter slowing you down. For making real, lasting changes in your family's lifestyle, spring is ideal. 

Maybe find some new ways to enjoy the great outdoors as a family. Start a tradition of Saturday morning bike rides and get your fresh air and exercise at the same time.

As you ease out of the heavy, "comfort" foods of winter, start bringing more raw fruits and vegetables to the family table. Give your digestive track a chance to come out of hibernation, as well.

Start planning a family garden, so that you can enjoy your own harvest in the fall.

Connect with nature. Connect with each other.

Welcome, Spring!

 

Related Posts

For a bit more assistance in connecting with the spirit of the season, see "How Do You Know When It's Spring?"

If you would like to re-visit your New Year's Resolutions -- or make some brand new, "Spring Resolutions" -- see "New Year's Resolutions, Made Simple."

Recommended Reading

I highly recommend Staying Healthy with the Seasons, by Elson Haas. It is a lovely book, based on the Chinese 5-element theory and walks you through pages and pages of healthful hints for each season of the year. The chapter on spring includes instructions for a simple cleanse, if you are interested in trying one.

 

In Search of Healthy School Lunches

Conscious parenting is about caring for the whole child: body, mind and spirit. Some days, the body needs to come first. Do you know what your child is eating for lunch today?

Okay, I know I'm way behind in my posts and I have lots of things I intend to write about, but here it is: School lunches are scary.

If, indeed, you are what you eat, my kids are pepperoni pizza. Or possibly tater tots.

I've been waffling for about two years now, not sure how I wanted to approach our local school district; reluctant to get drafted for another committee, but consistently horrified by what I see on the lunch menu -- when I am brave enough to look.

For example, the menu for next week includes cheese pizza on Monday, nachos with cheese and "cheesy refried beans" on Tuesday, grilled cheese sandwiches on Wednesday and a cheeseburger on Thursday.

What's up with all the cheese? When did nachos become a meal?

For Fun Family Travel, Step off the Beaten Path

One of the best things about family travel is the way you can venture off your normally beaten path, joyfully stumbling into something new and different. It is a great opportunity to expand your family horizons.

We've been doing a bit of exploration during our trip to Florida. We've discovered a couple spots we'd never been to before, tried some new foods and pushed the boundaries of our comfort zone just a bit.

It's been fun, sometimes a wee bit scary and mostly delicious.

For example, the cat fish was yummy... the frog legs, not so much. 

Yesterday, we took a boat ride up the Loxahatchee River. We saw an alligator sunning on the bank, a manatee hiding in the warm, shallow waters and lots of birds. Osprey, Cormorants and Great Blue Herons.

We visited the camp of "Trapper Nelson", also known as "Wild Man of the Loxahatchee", who lived in the jungle along the banks of the river for over thirty years. A trapper cum entrepreneur, Nelson built a wilderness compound that included a zoo, picnic grounds and boat house. Wealthy tourists from Palm Beach used to boat up the river for an afternoon of authentic rustication. And alligator wrestling.

I am happy to report that the camp site, while preserved for historic purposes, no longer hosts bobcats, rattlesnakes and alligators. At least, none that we saw while hiking around.

There was apparently a Mrs. Trapper Nelson, but she didn't last long. I guess it was all a bit too far out of her comfort zone.

As we prepare to wind up our time here, I am grateful for our adventures. The time we've spent together -- as a family and with friends -- has been wonderful.

I will miss the sunshine, the warmth and the relaxed interactions with my children.

The alligators, not so much.

Related Posts

Read more about family travel in, "The Importance of Family Vacations."

If you are planning your own family trip, you might need "My Top 12 Tips for Traveling with Kids on Planes."

Recommended Reading

Trapper Nelson spent most of his adult life off the beaten path. Read about his real-life adventures (and controversy) in Life and Death on the Loxahatchee: The Story of Trapper Nelson, by James D. Snyder. 

Gone Fishin'

On the benefits of getting away from it all... and keeping in touch in the process.

     

Greetings from the tropics... or at least, Florida. We’re still here, now spending a few days on the east coast, visiting friends of the family. We drove over with my mother yesterday. My parents’ house is about a hundred and fifty miles from here, but she hasn’t made the trip in over ten years.

   

Which is a lesson for us all. Time passes quickly. Fortunately, these are the best type of friends: The kind where you feel like you just saw them yesterday, no matter how long it’s been. (And we’ve seen them in other places, so it’s not as bad as it sounds.)

 

My sons think we have discovered the coolest place ever. There is a freshwater pond in the back yard, complete with fishing dock. They haven’t caught anything yet, but that’s probably not really important. They are loving the process.

 

Conscious parenting is all about living in the moment... but sometimes, we parents need a reminder.

  

I am sitting in the lanai (Florida-speak for screened-in porch), listening to the rustle of palm trees. There is bamboo growing at the edge of the deck. It is about fifteen feet tall. We don’t have bamboo in New England, except for the little pot of “lucky bamboo” on my kitchen windowsill, which is sadly not thriving.

A Valentine of a Different Color

  

“Valentine: a written or other artistic work, message, token, etc., expressing affection for something or someone.”

 

Greetings from Florida. We are here visiting Grandma and Grandpa, who celebrated their fifty-first wedding anniversary on Super Bowl Sunday. I guess they qualify as sweethearts. Over the years, they’ve gotten understandably good at the whole Valentine’s Day thing. They went out to dinner on Friday (to avoid the crowds and craziness) and loaded up on their favorite chocolates.

  

Happy Valentine’s Day, Mom and Dad!

 

While the origins of Valentine’s Day are rather murky – and not at all about romance – it has become something of a big deal in a handful of countries, including the United States, Canada and Mexico.

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The most popular expression of love and affection? The valentine card, of course! Be they romantic or humorous; addressed to a sweetheart, family member, friend or school teacher; the Greeting Card Association estimates that one billion valentine cards will be exchanged in the US this year.

Organic Food 101: What Every Parent Should Know

My eleven-year-old son was recently tasked with writing a “How-to” essay for his fifth grade language arts class. The topic he chose? “How to Live an Organic Lifestyle.” He asked me a few questions, wrote a draft or two, then typed it all up and stapled it into a beautiful cardboard cover. His teacher was happy, although she did make a couple structural suggestions, which we’ve incorporated here.  I asked for permission to share it with my readers and he said, “Uh, sure.” In case you wanted to know:

   

How to Live an Organic Lifestyle by my fifth-grade blogging partner

“To live a successful organic life, you need to know what organic means and where to find organic foods. Being organic is a lifestyle choice. It also means eating healthier and not eating processed foods.

First, you need to know why you are eating organic. My reason is my mom. She was having stomach pains so she went to a doctor, a nutritionist and a naturopath. Finally she found out she was allergic to bananas, wheat and sugar cane.

To Live Younger, Parent Later

Would you like to look younger, feel younger, live younger? Midlife parenting means you have access to your very own fountain of youth: Your children!

My mother was forty-five years old when she gave birth to my sister Elizabeth – her tenth child. While I was polishing off my first year of college, my mother was dusting off the baby carriage. I will not be revealing a huge family secret to say, this baby was not exactly planned.

She was certainly welcomed, however, rather like a delightful little chocolate at the end of a long but satisfying meal. Surprising, and cute as a bonbon.

It was all very entertaining for our friends and neighbors. Even my college roommates were eager to make the trip home with me on weekends, to observe this wonder of nature. (The baby, I mean. Although, my mother was rather impressive in her own right.)

How I Know That I am (Still) Not Enlightened

Or, how conscious parenting – and all my other noble intentions – got sidetracked by my leaky plumbing.

“We never know the worth of water till the well is dry.” – Thomas Fuller, Gnomologia, 1732

I tend to think of myself as a water person. My favorite vacations are invariably near (or on) the ocean. It is perhaps the one place on this planet where I know that I will relax.

When I am home, in my typically landlocked condition, I find that I crave water. 

Regardless of the season, I want to be at the beach, now. When this option is not available to me, my swimming pool keeps me sane. When it is too cold for the pool, there is the hot tub on the back porch. When all else fails, my bathtub must suffice.

(I just realized – I’ve spent a great deal of my disposable income, over the years, keeping myself wet. What’s up with that?)

And then, there’s always that tiny fountain in my meditation corner. My children gave it to me for Christmas last year, because I told them I needed it.

Accepting the Present; Changing the World

Conscious Parenting tips for today, prayers for the victims of the earthquake in Haiti and meditations on the nature of acceptance.

It can be really scary sometimes – seeing the immense need in the world and feeling powerless to make a difference. What should I be doing? How best to respond? Can one person, thousands of miles from the epicenter of disaster, possibly be a power for hope and healing?

Does anything we do really matter?

I take a deep breath and settle down for a moment’s meditation. Seemingly of its own accord, my favorite affirmation rolls through my mind like a gentle voice of confirmation.

“I am exactly where I am supposed to be, right now; doing exactly what I am supposed to be doing.”

I am doing nothing in particular, right now. Surrendering to the overwhelming urge to close my eyes, for just a few moments. Breathing.

Accepting all that is. The fears and the frustrations. The good news and the bad.

Thank You.

New Year's Resolutions, Made Simple

It’s already the second week in January. Have you changed your life today?

‘Tis the season for fresh starts and positive life changes. Or should I say, it is the time of year when we seem to be most inspired to make fresh starts and positive life changes. Getting our New Year’s resolutions to really stick is another matter entirely...

Some people simply refuse to make resolutions at all. Why set themselves up for the seemingly inevitable sense of failure and disappointment?

Why, indeed. Personally, I think New Year’s resolutions are a nice fit for anyone committed to intentional living – and a powerful addition to your conscious parenting toolkit. You just need to approach them in a reasonable way.

It probably doesn’t need to be said, but I will offer just a tiny reminder anyway: The only person you are responsible for is you. The only person’s life that you can successfully improve is your own. So if you are hoping to reduce family strife or improve family finances, start by taking a good look at your own behavior and see what needs a little sprucing up.

The key to success? Let it be easy. Here’s how.