It’s Earth Week. But for the sake of today’s Misty Minute, I want to focus my
attention on the most important environment I believe we can nurture and
protect—the environment in our homes.
Our geographic environment has a climate and so do our homes. And, as a studio
owner, the environment in my home around recital time can be chaotic to say the
least.
Mornings set the temperature for the entire day. On a good day that means I’m
up before the kids get up. I’ve had some quiet time, folded some laundry, checked
over the schedule for the day, signed the reading calendars and made a plan for
breakfast.
But, if I’ve had a late night working, well, I don’t have to tell you where that can
lead. My daughter won’t be able to find THE water bottle she needs for dance.
Papers will be forgotten and the neat pile of clothes I folded at midnight will be
shredded as four wild animals, I mean my four handsome sons, tear into it looking
for the right sized denims. And, that’s not counting the dishes that will be left on the
counter and crabby words I’m likely to say before we part ways for the day.
If there have been too many chaotic days lately, it’s time to institute a climate
change. What’s the change, you ask? Us. And, it starts with the word “No”. “No” to
taking on that extra class or choreography opportunity. “No” to one more lunch
meeting. “No” to answering that angry email at 11pm. “No” to depriving yourself of
sleep and nutrition in order to get “a little more” done. Because, let’s be real….”it”
will never be “done”.
It’s my nature to say “yes”, but, in my eagerness to serve others, my family can
get lost in the shuffle. So, I’ve spent the last year dialing back my calendar and
work commitments to make more time for the things no one will ever see, but that
actually matter most—dinners, homework, bedtime, conversations and snuggles.
And, yes, clean laundry.
You see, I can always teach another class, make another trip to the studio,
write another article or serve on another board, but I’ll never get a second
chance to raise my kids.
Do you need a climate change in your home? If so, I’d love to help you…