If you have ever had one of those moments where you questioned yourself and your decisions surrounding your children’s wellbeing, I’ve been there before, too.
Mine was on the homeschooling subject, and not because I was thinking I should change my choice – I could see that my boys were thriving and were physically, intelligently and emotionally flourishing. Staying together everyday worked so fabulously well for us, and we were 100% happy without pre-school or daycare settings. The reason I questioned myself was because I remembered that I wasn’t not doing what most others were doing, and sometimes that fact alone really made me insecure, and question how I could possibly fit in within my social environment.
My whole perception of pre-school, along with many other accepted social norms, was objective and challenging. At the end of the day – research, facts and statistics aside – my perception on “pre-school and my family” was in support of my own intuition, which told me that (a) I was doing the right thing observing and responding to my children’s personal needs – their active and passive verbal and non-verbal requests – and (b) I was doing the right thing providing alternative (I’ll say superior just because I can 🙂 ) social and educational opportunities within our comfortable environment.
(Here is Master 4 who is free to run and play in the rain in our beautiful rainforest garden on weekdays)
So in conversation with others, our words could be limited and even, at times, fragile and uncomfortable. We knew our differences and loved each other regardless. Parenting is such an important role and no matter what, we respected each other, absolutely.
It’s tempting – in one of these hours of feeling insecure (and like a social misfit) – to give in to anxiety and get caught up in snow-ball thinking.
“I could start researching pre-schools. But, I won’t, because my intuition tells me we are happy, healthy, and where we are meant to be.”
“I could try to make new friends. But, I won’t, because my intuition tells me we are happy, healthy, and where we are meant to be.”
“I could debate with my ‘significant others’ to try to prove my points and get them on my side. (Wouldn’t it be nice if we were all on the same side, sometimes!) But, I won’t, because my intuition tells me we are happy, healthy, and where we are meant to be.”
“I could think about this topic all day, continually question myself, and let it take me away from the joys of the present. But, I won’t, because my intuition tells me we are happy, healthy, and where we are meant to be.”
(And who would want to be distracted from this present moment? Just look at Master 1 sloshing in the muddy puddles as the fog glides over us.)
If you want to refresh your techniques on handling mini-crisis events (and we have so many, as parents) and developing your ability to follow your intuition with confidence, that’s what I am here for. Feel free to contact me anytime.
Day by day we aim to repair our bodies and have trust, faith and optimism for the future. You can join me as I walk to wellness in the private facebook group Joanna Haley Homestead (Journey to Wellness)
Joanna Haley, Author