We’re feeling a bit anxious right now due to world events.  We may try to shelter our little ones from the war, tragedies in our own country, and the crazy cost of basic necessities.  But they sense our stress. They know we are worried.

Summer vacation is starting for school aged children and even for some who are preschool aged.  If you  “home-school” your children, you are most likely adjusting your schedule to be more flexible, with outdoor adventures and group outings.  For many children, summer allows for more play and more rest, a break from the normal school and extracurricular routines.

We may not feel as relaxed as we hoped though, due to current events.  We hurt for those who are hurting, both here and abroad.  I think there’s a fine line, a balance here, that we can seek.

We can try to teach our children to be empathetic.  We can lead them in prayer for those who are in need right now.  We can guide them:  we can model “giving” by sending donations, by serving in our local pantries, and by volunteering at church activities that help others.

I do think that it’s important for their mental health too, that we allow them moments or days of relief from the pressures of the world.  Let’s allow them to be kids and feel free and just play.  Let’s insist that for a portion of each day, we turn OFF ALL DEVICES and ask them to read and reflect or draw.   Shut out the world for a moment.  Take them to the library (remember that?) every couple of weeks and let them pick out books of interest.  Share some of your favorites from “way back when”. 

Not only are we creating readers and critical thinkers, but we are steering them towards a more positive mindset.  We are giving them permission to shut out the world and escape into someone else’s –  maybe it’s Mike Mulligan’s, Harry Potter’s or Meg Murray’s world.  It’s another world of adventures and these often offer hope.

It’s a balance that’s healthy for all of us, adults included.   I want to be aware of the overwhelming needs of my brothers and sisters around the world.  I want to help, honestly more than I am.  But I also know that I need to still be able to function daily, to be able to meet the needs of those in my everyday life.  So I allow myself moments of escape.  A devotion, a fun movie, or a good book (and yes, a glass of wine) can provide relaxation.   Minus the wine 😊, reading a good book can do just the trick for our young ones when they too need to shut out the world and just be kids.