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22.01.2022 When children come into contact with nature, they reveal their true strength ~Maria Montessori

22.01.2022 May the moon shine bright & kiss your nose with magical moonbeams ~Bette Kelley Although the full moon was in all it's glory last night, we can still feel it's magic

21.01.2022 Lux & I had fun making homemade Christmas wrap yesterday. We used some old potatoes for our star paint stamps . Thanks @prims_playnest for the stamp idea

20.01.2022 3 4 W E E K S O F L O V I N G Y O U

19.01.2022 Thank-you so much again to each one of these incredible beauties (and those of you who were there with us in spirit) for being such wonderful, caring and inspiring women in my life. My SiStars! As I said before, you each hold a very special place in my heart and I am so grateful for your friendship, love and connection. I value each one of you deeply and am truly honoured to have been surrounded by such beautiful beings at my intimate blessing day celebration last Saturday ... Extra special thanks to these gorgeous souls... Supatra, for sharing your purpose and passion in guiding us, alongside Jade, in our Sacred Circle, blessings and meditations. You led a beautiful ceremony and I feel so privileged that you held space for us all in creating such love and energy on the day Tessy, thank-you for serenading us with your breathtaking voice. I know public performance is one of your fears, yet it shouldn't be. You are simply stunning.Every.Single.Time. But please know how grateful I am that you shared such beauty with us all on such a special day. You brought tears to my eyes and I know I wasn't the only one! And of course... my fabulous sisters, Jade & Leah! I am forever grateful for the time and effort each of you put in to create such a delightfully magic day, blessing me, our family and babe to be. You went above and beyond! I am blown away by how special the day was and only wish we were doing it all again this weekend! I love you dearly

19.01.2022 I feel incredibly grateful that I have been blessed with the beautiful gift of being a Mother in this life and that I have the privilege of watching my children blossom into the true authentic beings they have come here to be

17.01.2022 7 W E E K S U N T I L C H R I S T M A S Christmas can be such a stressful time for a lot of people. The lists, shopping, presents, wrapping, decorating, financial stress, rushing, organising, travel, meal prepping, cooking, cleaning, cleaning... more cleaning. It can be so overwhelming that we often forget to slow down, take a breathe and celebrate Christmas for what it is. So, how can we enjoy the magic of Christmas? ... By being mindful and thankful for what we already have. To me, Christmas isn't about the gifts or material things, it's about connection. Meaningful connection. And it is the best gift you can give and receive. Especially to our children! We would love to inspire you to join us in a Mindful Christmas this year. When you are finalising your shopping, think of gifts that encourage connection rather than creating distance. Gifts that are good for the earth, mind, body and soul. It can be easy to get caught up in the shopping centre mayhem and go overboard on spending. Spending money on gifts that will be played with for 2 minutes before getting pushed aside, lost, broken and end up in landfill (particularly all those little plastic stocking fillers). We like to choose gifts of quality rather than quantity, that are sustainable, practical and purposeful, create a calm home and will provide endless hours of joy, that deepen connection and growth. The holiday season is also a great time to get your children involved in giving to those in need, teaching them about community, compassion, empathy, generosity and gaining a greater sense of gratitude for what they have. You can do a clean out together and donate any old toys, clothes and items around the home you no longer need. Giving a Christmas meal will also be sure to lift the spirits of someone in need. We would love to hear from you on how you enjoy a calmer, more mindful Christmas?

17.01.2022 Children learn through Play Children are naturally curious about the world around them. Child-led play is unstructured free play where the child takes the lead; they simply follow their imagination and see where their creativity takes them. When we allow our children autonomy to explore and follow their curiosity through child-led play, it gives them the opportunity to develop life-long beneficial skills such as: imagination, exploration, self-control and concentration, soc...ial skills, physical agility, spacial awareness, self-confidence, self-regulation, problem solving, self-discovery, memory, creativity, risk-management and so much more! Here are some things you can do to support your child with child-led play: Take a step back and observe without interrupting play (unless absolutely necessary for safety reasons) If your child invites you to play, ACCEPT! This will help build their self-confidence Follow your child's lead and allow them to be in control Allow your child the space and freedom to play and follow their imagination and creativity Slow down and give your child the opportunity to discover. If they appear to be struggling with something, allow them the time to solve the problem. You will be surprised at what they are capable of Make eye contact with your child when near or far. Eye contact gives your child the opportunity to check-in to ensure they are safe in what they are engaged in, particularly when from a distance. Children learn when they feel safe, and you are their safe-ground. Eye contact does not interrupt play but allows your child the opportunity to check with you that their world is safe Offer a range of age appropriate open-ended spaces and resources for your child to play with i.e clay, wooden blocks, egg cartons, silks/pieces of fabric, paper, markers, water, sand, stones, leaves..the list is endless; anything with no pre-determined limitations or set outcomes Outdoors in nature allows your child to discover the world around them and be exposed to natural wonders, experiences, resources, materials and connect with the Earth. It allows them to deep-dive into open-ended child-led play where their imaginations and creativity can run wild. You will be surprised at what your child is capable of when given the opportunity to follow their inner inspirations and creativity

17.01.2022 Let's talk nappies Did you know that conventional nappies take up to 500 YEARS to break down! FIVE.HUNDRED.YEARS. With the average baby (birth to toddler) going through 6,000 nappy changes and more than double the amount of wipes, EEEK!! And then there is the long list of harmful chemicals which have been proven to cause skin irritations, asthma, infertility (proven with conventional nappies in males) and a whole heap of other nasties such as carcinogenic substances, chl...orines, heavy metals and the like, right on bubs skin (which is 5 x thinner than adults), and their most sensitive parts of the body. When Lux was in nappies, we used cloth during the day and eco disposables at night (for absorbency and to minimise sleep disruptions) and mostly while travelling abroad. We plan to do the same with our next babe on the way We love @ecoriginals for their ethics, testing, softness, great absorbency and affordability all while being non-toxic and better for the environment Made using plant-based ingredients with zero nasties, their nappies are no less than 80% biodegradable. The average time for their nappy to break down is around 6 months (opposed to hundreds of years) with their packaging being certified compostable, breaking down within just 90 days, making them the most eco disposable nappy solution available Their wipes are also 100% plant based and compostable with zero nasties, wrapped in recyclable packaging How good is that? And...they started right here in Byron Bay Australia by a passionate couple wanting better for their kids health and our planet. If you'd love to try them out, use my code AWAKE20 to receive $20 off a 6 bag nappy deal. Link below https://www.ecoriginals.com.au/product/6-bag-nappy-deal/ Discount code has kindly been offered by Ecoriginals. I don't receive any commissions or kick backs for sharing this. Purely shared to raise awareness and my personal experience & review

16.01.2022 Our children are our mirrors who have come here to awaken us and help us rediscover our true authentic self within. When we become activated (I prefer to call it this rather than triggered) by our children and their strong emotions, they are in fact reflecting back to us a pain that we once went through in our own childhood. They are showing us something about ourselves. We parents need to look in the mirror and see how we can consciously respond, with our own past pains asi...de, and embrace this opportunity to grow ourselves Rather than controlling the child to prevent their behaviour activating us, when we are more mindful of the mirror in front of us and aware that we are the ones that have some growing up to do, we can connect with our children on such a deeper level and they are able to fully express themselves for who they are. So, next time your child activates you, embrace the opportunity to grow and ask yourself: What can I transform within myself from the undesirable behaviour my child is reflecting to me?

13.01.2022 But the most beautiful things in life are not things. They're people, places, memories and pictures. They're feelings and moments and smiles and laughter ~ Unknown

12.01.2022 G R A T I T U D E It all begins in the home, and that includes expressing acts of gratitude to and around our children. When we express gratitude, our children follow.... In our home, we each share our 'daily gratefuls' at the dinner table or as we are snuggled up in bed together, before we drift in to dreams. Today I am particularly grateful for the health of my loved ones, and myself. Those close to me know that we had another appointment with our son's cardiologist this week where we received more positive news. Couldn't be more thankful! What are you grateful for today?

11.01.2022 Do you honour your child with words of affirmation on a daily basis? During childhood we learn behaviours and our brain is wired in a way of programming that carries on with us throughout life. Each of us develop our belief systems from the environment and people around us during childhood, whether that be damaging or valuable.... Your words, phrases and actions matter and have a powerful effect on your developing child and the foundations in which they grow. By honouring your child with words of affirmation daily, they will build a strong positive belief system about themselves and grow to be resilient, self-confident, and have a positive and happy mind, to name a few. Repeating the affirmations will help solidify these positive beliefs so they carry on with them throughout their life. And remember...We parents also need to ensure we use positive words affirmation about ourselves too, so be kind and gentle to yourself. Children model the behaviour they witness. I would love to know what positive words of affirmation you use in your home with yourself, spouse and children. Share in the comments below

10.01.2022 Children naturally live in the moment and they allow that moment to be what it is; magical and beautiful in every way ~April Peerless

10.01.2022 I firmly believe that all children come here Pure Pure, innocent souls that love unconditionally. Each having unique differences and temperament in their own right, yet exuding purity.... It is the people, environment and experiences throughout life that alter their state of being. How are you going to choose to guide the pure being in front of you? The traditional paradigm of parenting is fear based, full of control, punishments and dictatorship. Due to our conditioning, it is our ego that thinks we have this right of ownership and control over our children. It's time this changes. And it starts with us, the parents. Being a conscious parent allows us to shift our way of thinking, brings an awareness on ourselves to reflect inwards on how we can do better to help guide our children (rather than pointing the finger and always blaming the child), we operate from our heart-space of being open, present & loving unconditionally, and we parent the child in front of us with an understanding that every child is a unique sovereign being. Being a conscious parent doesn't mean we don't make mistakes. We are human and so mistakes are inevitable. A conscious parent can make just as many as any other parent. However, it means when we make mistakes we have an awareness to be open and are able to reflect, own it, look inward and see how we can grow and do better from within. We are guiding the future generations who will become world leaders, politicians, change makers, activists and so much more... Let's rise up and do our part as parents, not only for our children, but for the life of future generations... to ensure we are guiding back to our core essence. Imagine how beautiful the world could be with more love, kindness, respect, compassion, empathy and understanding.

07.01.2022 BLOGGED Many of our limiting beliefs, fears and blockages are developed in childhood. The way we react and respond to situations are all connected to how we were influenced by our environment, events and people around us during our early years. Our inner child has stored these memories which continue to impact us and can be passed down on to our children. Depending on past experiences, it may require in-depth inner work to heal our inner child in order to break the cycl...e, unlock our blockages and be fully present. It is only then we can cultivate whole beings through parenting consciously and wholeheartedly as they deserve with love, respect, compassion, empathy and understanding. As many of you know, I don't usually share my personal journey (let alone publicly), but I felt a calling to do so in a hope to help inspire others. In Ignite Your Parenting, I get raw, deep and vulnerable about my childhood struggles in my story "Breaking the Cycle". Here, I also share some helpful tips on how you can nurture the unmet needs of your inner child so future generations are spared the wounds of our ancestors. The book is available for FREE download on Amazon or you can access through my website www.awakeparenting.com.au

07.01.2022 DID YOU KNOW... Babies begin learning touch whilst they are in the womb. Studies show that fetuses touching the lower part of their face and mouth could be an indicator for healthy brain development and creating a coherent sense of self, ultimately preparing the baby for life outside the womb. For healthy emotional and neurobiological development, it is important that us parents nourish this human need with loving affection and touch.... A child's brain grows rapidly in the early years of life, particularly the first five years. By three years old it will already have around 100 trillion connections or synapses AND be 80% grown to adult size! Each time the child stimulates a sense (sight, hearing, smell, taste, touch), a neural connection is made. Repetition solidifies the connections in the child's brain and shapes how they think, feel and learn. You can nurture your babies developing brain by responding to their emotional and physical needs through play, singing, talking, reading, cuddling, kissing, massaging and nourishing them with love, affection and healthy food. This, along with a clean environment where the child feels safe, secure and heard will aid in the child's healthy growth, development and future

05.01.2022 "Encouraging a child to go outside in all weather builds resilience, but more importantly, it saves them from spending their life merely tolerating the "bad" days in favour of a handful of "good" ones - a life of endless expectations & conditions where happiness hinges on sunshine." ~ Nicolette Sowder Do you encourage your child to embrace all weather? We love it when it rains here! We grab our gumboots and go searching for the best puddles to jump in - this one is the big...gest we have played in yet! We love singing songs as we go, 'watching the tree's dance' when it is windy and enjoying the fresh air... and of course that sweet smell of rain. Different weather conditions brings new challenges for children to explore and learn, promoting cognitive & creative thinking and problem-solving skills. It encourages them to asses risks (such as slippery surfaces, depth of puddles, hot surfaces from the sun) and to adapt their play accordingly to ensure safety. It stimulates the senses and fosters new learning pathways and discussions about the different natural elements they are exposed to. Not to mention a deeper connection to Mother Nature and thus care for our environment

03.01.2022 S E L F L O V E As a busy mother, I understand how challenging it can be to make time to honour & respect my own needs. And in those brief moments when I do have a few minutes, my mind can race with all the things I HAVE to get done like washing, folding, cleaning, meal prep, cooking, paying bills, activity/play prep, online orders, work...and so the list goes on with everything else that is more important than honouring my own needs.... But in order for me to show up & be the best mother, spouse & friend I possibly can be, I often need to remind myself that it is OK to take time for me & it will serve those around me (for the better) in doing so. A mother who nourishes her needs & fills her cup up with love, taking time to look after herself, is a Happy Mother with more energy to give to those around her. A happy mother creates a healthy & happy home, meaning a happy family. Practicing self-love IS NOT selfish! And it doesn't have to take a whole lot of time or mean spending a tonne of money at a day spa! Make the commitment to honour yourself & start with just one thing a day. Here are some quick & easy, self-love & self-care idea's you can try; Nourish your body with a healthy breakfast Wake up a little earlier than the kids & do a quick, yet powerful 10 minute meditation. I'm currently enjoying guided morning meditation. There are plenty on YouTube Buy yourself some flowers or get outdoors with the kids & pick some blooms for your home When the babes are busy playing, do some yoga. Your littles may even like to join in with you like my son does. Even a few minutes getting the body moving is better than nothing. Morning time is perfect to wake up your body Treat yourself to a soak in the tub. I tried this on Sunday & managed to get 2 minutes before little Mr 2 jumped in Listen to a podcast/audiobook while driving, cleaning or exercising Put important healthcare/check-ups in your calendar & do what you can to meet them Prioritise sleep. I know how hard this can be, especially with youngsters #expectingnumbertwoverysoon.Do what you can to rest when you can Do some grounding by walking barefoot on the earth

01.01.2022 When you've had a hard day and feeling really upset about something, would hearing "Oh well, you're okay" by your partner or person you trust most make you feel any better? My guess would be No! Children, like adults, want to have their feelings validated. They need to know they are safe to express all emotions with us, no matter how big or small. Remaining calm, empathising and acknowledging our child's feelings (no matter how irrational or ridiculous it may seem to us at th...e time) allows them to feel safe, heard and understood, meaning they will be able to co-regulate quicker. If they see discomfort coming from us in these moments they will reflect this back to us and find it harder to pass through the emotion as they see it as unsafe and not acceptable to feel the way they do. When our children feel safe, supported and loved with all the emotions they experience, they develop trust and will be encouraged to openly share their feelings with us as they grow.