The Baby Connection, Week 4: How to Turn Your Baby into Buddha

Dear Tunester, 

Today you’re going to learn an easy game to make your routine walk go from fussy to FUN.

How are you feeling about your walk or your drive home these days? Bored of it? Seen it a million times? Do you know the sidewalk cracks like the back of your hand? Can you say exactly how long it takes for the light to change at an intersection?

Parents, it’s time to get out of our monotonous routine and make things new. Because the fact is, it is ALL new.

The other day my 7-year-old was trying to convince me to take her into the toy store that advertised a promotion – ”It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!”

I questioned her – “isn’t walking down this street a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity?”

“Huh?”

I persisted, as any annoying parent must when they are on a crusade to teach something that feels important.

“Isn’t it ALL a once-in-a-lifetime experience?…The way the wind just moved that leaf, the way that person just crossed the street right as we were crossing on the other side. The combination of everything happening just this way will only happen once, in this very moment.”

She cocked her head and thought about it.

Where am I going with this? It’s time to turn our babies and ourselves into Buddha this week. Life can’t be about going through it all as if we’ve been there before. Don’t worry, I am not going to suggest that you sit on the sidewalk and meditate. But I am going to suggest a new game.

It’s called: For the First Time

Here’s how you play: Tell your kid that the game is to see who can notice things that you’ve never noticed before on the walk you’ve done a thousand times.

It may take them a minute to get what you mean. My daughter said: “There isn’t anything new! I’ve seen all this before.”

But did she notice the edge of the crack on the sidewalk where a flower bud is peeping out? Did you notice the window above your head with that red curtain? Did she notice that there was a nest in that tree? Did you notice the reflection in that puddle?

This game is so simple, but it does so much:

1. It opens our senses to experiences that felt boring and old.
2. It makes us share what we notice with each other and that’s exciting. In fact, we want to encourage our kids to share their perspective as much as possible. It’s how we foster their creativity and voice.
3. It makes us appreciate the small things in life that are ever-changing and beautiful. It takes some effort to tune in to the beauty that is more hidden from our everyday eyes.

So – for today’s boring walk home, let’s make it more interesting…

Can you notice something For the First Time?

Want to see this game in action with my daughter? It will be on my Instagram page this week. For more inspiration on how to do this at home, check out THIS POST. Have a friend who is bored out of her mind by her monotonous walk home with the stroller every day? Send her this column and tell her to sign up for more weekly gems.

The Baby Connection archive: 
Drumming • Baby Buddha • Music Activities • Ball Play • Making Mistakes

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