What Is Your Child Interested In?

Every child is an individual.  As parents and daycare providers it is our responsibility to observe our children and see what interests them.   We then need to take steps to help them explore those interests.

Yesterday, Lucia was pretending to face paint myself and the daycare children.  She used her index finger as a paint brush and in her imagination she painted colours and lines on our faces.

Observing this interest, I remembered that we had child-friendly face painting crayons.  After nap time, Lucia moved from her imagination to reality when she face painted our faces beautiful coloured patterns.

Coffee Addict

Coffee has been my drug of choice for nearly ten years.  It all started when my son Owen was three months old, and I was exhausted.  In my desperation for sanity, I grabbed a hold of a mug of the dark liquid and never looked back.   The taste wasn't what sold me; it was the kick of energy it gave me.  My daily cup of Jo put a smile to my face and a skip to my step; I could conquer the world. If you know me, you've heard me say: "My cup of coffee is my cup of happiness, I cannot live without it."

My cup of happiness became an addiction, yes, an addiction.  The day I realized that I was a coffee addict was a couple of years ago while in Africa.  We were driving our jeep through Savuti watching elephants, hyenas, zebras and all those wild animals of Botswana, and I had a headache, a headache that I could not shake off.  I took two Tylenol extra strength and still the heaviness in my brain persisted.  I thought for sure that Malaria was my plight and death was calling.  On our return to Maun, we stopped for a coffee and lord and behold my headache vanished, just like that.  Poof!  The realization dawned on me; I am a coffee addict, and without coffee, I am not happy. Although, I admitted to my addiction,  I refused to deny myself of my cup of happiness.

I recently decided to tackle my addiction and remove coffee from my diet.   There were a few bad days where I had a headache and lived in a fog, but I perceived and came through the other side.  The benefits have been worth it.

1. Sleep: I have been sleeping like a baby.
2. Relaxed: I have been feeling more relaxed, less irritable, and a low-lying anxious feeling has left me.
3. Appetite:    I have been satisfied with the foods that I eat and not craving foods in the afternoon.

Those benefits are worth a day without coffee.  I have replaced my cup a Jo with hot ginger tea, green tea and will soon get the fixings for my friend's recommendation of dandelion, chicory root and cinnamon stick tea.  Apparently it's bitter and a good liver detoxifier.

I have also let go of gluten, but that is another story!!!

There is nothing like a walk in the woods to bring up feelings of gratitude for all that I have. Enjoy your day in whatever you do.  I give you hugs and gratitude for checking in with Annie Bananie.

Happy Thanksgiving

Gratitude is that state if being where I appreciate all that I have. This includes the people in my life, the food that comes to my mouth, the clothes that keep me warm and the experiences that bring me joy in those experiences that allow me to grow and learn. 

Let's not forget gratitude for Mother Nature because without her,  I would not be here.