The Home With A 5-year-old
Tomorrow, my littlest little turns 5.
I tend to feel a sense of accomplishment when their birthday comes around. I feel appreciated, honored and important for raising a little like I am.
As my little transitions to 5, I have the same promises that I’ve extended to my other two.
I promise to continue my inner work and personal development.
I promise to provide unconditional love and healthy boundaries.
Being 5 years old is an interesting stage to witness. Having witnessed it twice before, some 5 year olds are in that 4-year-old out of bounds stage, and some settle in to the 6-year-old transition earlier than expected.
Below are 7 areas of daily flow to keep in mind when having a 5-year-old in the home:
Rhythm
Rest time
Meals and snack time
House time
Play
Storytelling
Creative experiences
Rhythm
A daily rhythm is an intentional flow to your days. There are many things which you do day in and day out no matter what because they meet everyone’s basic needs. When you put some thoughtfulness and consistency around the order in which you do all these things, you create a daily rhythm. Your rhythm carries your day. Without it, you’ll be going back and forth all day with your littles. Look at the activities that you do and think about what needs to happen before and after.
Rest time
Having a designated quiet time each day, allows you to reset the tone of the home. Carving out one hour for deep relaxation isn’t only beneficial for the child but it's also beneficial for the parent and everyone else in the home. My littles don’t usually fall asleep around this time (my 4-year-old turning 5 usually fights sleep for 20 minutes). I read a story, tell a story or put on an audio story while they lounge around. It also helps to close the blinds for this hour to change the mood.
Meal and snack time
Use meal times to work on developing and connecting through movement. Have your little assist with kneading dough, or scrubbing the counters. Include your 5-year-old in the process of preparing the food. These simple acts lay the foundation of gratefulness.
Home time
Each gesture you use to go about your daily tasks, is important to your child. Slow down and enjoy the moments through thankfulness and love. Instead of rushing to cook in panic and washing the dishes is super speed, add each ingredient slowly while gently folding the blueberries into your dough for muffins, ready to be baked in the oven with love. It's important for our children to see this and it later gives birth to doing tasks with love and being in the moment through thanksgiving for what is had.
Play
Playing is of extreme importance and provides an opportunity for your child to expand beyond the confinements of their indoor surroundings. Include outside play.
Storytelling
If you haven’t started the rhythm of lighting a candle and telling a story, now is the perfect time to begin. Pick a story, memorize it and tell it to your little 2-3 times per week for two weeks.
Creative experiences
It’s wonderful to get involved with painting, sewing, finger knitting, crayon coloring and clay modelling.
I hope this helps you in the cultivating the right energy for 5-year-old and beyond. What would you add to this list?
All the best,
Charlene Favorite