Summertime and the livin' is easy, unless, of course the kids are hot, cranky and careening out of control or even bouncing off the crayon marked walls. Look, summer vacation shouldn't be something that parents need to recover from, nor does it have to be. There are oceans of notions out there about what can help to create a calm, healthy and happy environment for any child, but the empowering advice that I offer below is time-tested, ages-old and entirely applicable for anybody's baby no matter what the age. And these adjustments really do erase unwanted stress while adding waves of health and happiness regardless the season too! Look, let's face it, working hard to raise happy, healthy and well adjusted kids can sometimes be no day at the beach. However, using the suggestions offered below will keep mom and dad in a sunny state of mind while making sure that the kid's futures are so bright that the whole family will have to wear shades!
Here and now are five Feng Shui tips for healthy, happy, well-adjusted kids:
1. Routine, Routine, Routine. Enough said. Ritual and routine make a difference from the very first day babies come out of the womb. Mealtimes should always be at the same time too. Bath/shower should be the same every single solitary day. I'm not saying there aren't exceptions to these routine rules but I am saying that there is a measurable difference in the character and personality of the kid who has a routine and one who doesn't. There is a critical difference in fact. Feng Shui says that one of those routines should be allowing a child to turn off their own lamp by their bed before they go to sleep at night. Obviously we're not talking about wee bitty babies here. But a toddler can certainly handle this effort. Putting a lamp that they can reach by their bed does more to foster a subconscious sense of security (from all those things that can go bump in the night) and also allows the child to start building confidence as well as a healthy sense of personal power.
2. Another Feng Shui codicil or cure says no loud or primary colors in the kid's bedroom. Period. They are too stimulating and don't allow the little (or big for the matter) psyche to settle down and start to calm. No reds or blacks or even bright oranges, blues or yellows. This Shui says that the most appropriate bedroom hues are blues. You can use greens as well as anything pastel or 'soft. ' This energetic modality says that blues and greens stimulate internal health and healing and bring a quiet sense of calm to children! If you think about it, even hospitals use green as their signature hue due to that same healing, calming vibe.
3. You can encourage creativity and a lifted, happy vibration by hanging a mobile from the ceiling in any child's room. This will lift their eyes and their mood. Do not however, ever hang a mobile directly over the head of any child... itty bitty or not. Not a popular opinion but one that has validation nonetheless. Hanging anything over the head of a child will foster a ''pressing' or claustrophobic feeling when children need to feel expansion as they grow. As well and to stimulate kid creativity Feng Shui shares that you should hang a clear quartz crystal in any bedroom window (it will pick up prisms when exposed to natural sunlight that not only 'cleanse' the atmosphere of the room itself but also symbolize stimulating creativity from the mini well within!) Lastly, and from the Feng Shui archives, it is said that creativity is also activated by having an image of a rainbow affixed in the 'Children/Creativity' area (see www.ellenwhitehurst.com to find that location!)
4. Again, kids, both big and small alike, need space. Clear out anything extra in their room that they don't absolutely need and open up the space. This will allow them to 'breathe' and find their center and their calm. Kids need space in their head and heart too. Thus, over-scheduling them for every conceivable sport, lesson etc known to mankind is considered detrimental. Some parents think they are doing their child a future favor by exposing them to so many different 'opportunities' when, in fact, this philosophy says that they are doing anything but. Having an over scheduled child who cannot find down time, play time or even quiet time will be a stressed and anxious adult. I think we can all agree we know enough of them already! Putting a few drops of lavender essential oil as well as few of chamomile in little Billy's bath at night will provide just that sense of calm and cool that I am talking about. You can add some to a spray bottle/atomizer and spray around the nighttime room or you can even get really empowered and diffuse while they are sleeping. Lavender is anti-viral, anti-bacterial and anti-fungal and exponentially helps in building healthy little to bigger immune systems. Yeah, that's exactly what I said. Run and get some.
5. Another excellent idea is to create a wall of 'praise' in their room. Hang awards, certificates, great test scores etc there. Hang an image of someone or something that represents your child's innate talents there too. My own teen-Steven Spielberg has an image of, well, Spielberg, right next to where he keeps his passion, um, I mean, his cameras. The subtle psychological impact and influence of having an idol or mentor represented in their room cannot be underscored. Whether it's Einstein or Eminem, recognizing and validating your child's dreams and desires creates both a closer connection between the two of you as well as a goal of sorts to strive for. This tip is worth this read all by itself.
So you see, whether bitty baby, toddler, tween or teen, any child can benefit in a big way from making some small adjustments to their sleeping spaces. And that will bring everyone the sweetest dreams during summer, winter, spring of fall!