Working Naked Children and Soil….

My son Elias (22) mowed the lawn today as his nephew Wyatt (4) mowed by his side.

Keep a kid by your side during a day of work and with encouragement you won’t be able to STOP them from helping as you age.

Wyatt and his sister Macey (1) helped me for a couple hours stake out a new plot of garden and move compost.

During the afternoon their momma my daughter Hanna (31) helped me deep clean all the cupboards and freezer. I didn’t have to say a word….she was pulling stuff out of the cupboard and asked me to stay to direct her to items that were trash or items I wanted to keep. We call Hanna the White Tornado because she comes in a home and cleans right away, starts food and then deep cleans if needed.

I trained her from childhood, it wasn’t always pleasant. Often times I made homemaking tasks more important than just CHILLING and LISTENING/PLAYING with my kids.

I’m learning. It takes about 7 kids to get the hang of working alongside these young ones. I feel I screwed up a lot….and if given the chance to have 7 more kids I’d have an army of JOYFUL workers who would easily be able to tap and tune into who they are and what their specific purpose/pleasure is.

There are several health benefits for children playing naked in dirt.

Exposure to dirt helps kid’s bodies build a stronger immune response. It exposes them to a variety of microbes that can aid in developing their immune systems.

Soil contains beneficial bacteria that can act as natural probiotics.

Playing in dirt allows children to engage in sensory development. This afternoon I turned my head for a minute and Macey crawled into Stinging Nettle. Sensory development. 😜

Engaging with nature. We sat on a blanket on top of the mulch pile just to feel the warmth of composting material.

Turning work into play. If you Momma have FUN when you work, are not in a hurry, and have encouragement on your lips you are modeling a strong work ethic which your kids will want to follow.

PRACTICE

Pick an area of cleaning or deep cleaning that needs attention.

Figure out a time you will stick to. 2 min., 5 min., or 10 min.

Gather your kid/s. Tell them what needs to be done. Ask if they have any specific thoughts on how they would like to contribute.

Start the timer.

Put on a song you both like.

Smile. Don’t look at your phone. Point out kids effort. Don’t be in a hurry. Don’t point out how they missed a spot, keep conversation on encouragement and tune your spirit to hear the voice for love and not ego.

Thank them for their help when done.

Make a special drink like an espresso martini to celebrate you weren’t a bitch to your kid and that it actually FELT PRETTY AMAZING to cultivate this bit of harmony.

Pour a special drink like kombucha into wine glasses. Maybe some cheese and crackers or raw chocolate. The idea is to turn the end of project even if 2 minutes, into a celebration.

Next time you need some help, your kids will WANT TO HELP YOU! 🥰

!You are doing better than you think!

NAMASTE my Sisters