books, childhood, children, death, Holidays, life, love, relationships, soul, therapy

‘Tis the Season and ‘Tis the Holidays (re-post)

Gallery | Posted on by Jill Telford

The most wonderful time of the year. But is it? I am feeling tension and unlike myself lately. I am missing loved ones who have passed. 105 people die every minute. Nearly 2 every second. Life is precious. So, so very precious.

When it comes to my feelings, I chalked some of it up to the full moon and it’s power of making waves. In fact, there has been a cataclysm of events making waves. Globally, countries are struggling with leadership and death.

Lately, I have been hanging on to hope and resiliency. I stare at a photo of 6 year old Ruby Bridges who endured and triumphed standing as a metaphor and reminder that “what doesn’t kill you does in fact make you stronger”.  At 6, Ruby Bridges showed a courage that resonates today. I had the opportunity of listening to Ruby Bridges speak in 2015 at the annual NAEYC conference. The kind of courage and poise she personifies and how it connects with us, children, families and educators.

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Holidays are hard for many. For a lot of my own life, holidays were often off for me and awkward. There are empty chairs of those we miss and love. You feel the infinite loss and ache of missing loved ones. It is easier to send a gift and/or photo of smiling faces saying Happy Holidays. It is the thought that counts but what do we do for those who feel alone? How do we help others cope during grief or a sense of loss? What gifts can you give to the broken-hearted?

Here are gifts to give:

  • Gift of Memory: Take a moment to remember and honor the memory of a loved one by a hug, card or phone call. Although there is an empty chair at the table fill it with memories and honor their memory.
  • Gift of hope: We experience both sadness and joy. It’s deeply triggered by the holidays. Show up and offer to help those you care about. From the daily routines to collaging and scrap booking memories.
  • Gift of Love: Be in the moment with those who are still living. Show them you love them. If you are the one feeling sad tell them it is hard but stay hopeful.
  • Gift of friendship: Invite and include those who feel sad even if they may cancel or decline from shopping to having dinner.
  • Gift of Surprise and Spontaneity: Encourage doing something unusual such as a road trip or a flight to visit loved ones still here. Follow through.
  • Give the gift of time: Its about time well spent with those you love so spend it wisely. Spend some time whether over coffee, a movie, a stop by visit or something special to do together
  • Give the gift of food for the soul whether baked goods or a home cooked meal to enjoy together
  • The gift of listening: remember, it’s not not knowing what to say but listening and being there.

Looking for more gift ideas? Visit Sympathy Solutions at:

http://www.sympathysolutions.com/current-newsletter/10-things-you-can-do-for-someone-lost-loved-lone.html

Most of all, ensure to reach out, don’t expect someone who feels alone to reach out to you.

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childhood, children

How Imagination Shapes Children’s Costumes

Gallery | Posted on by Jill Telford

How cool is the above picture? It’s AI generated. How neat is it that the opportunity exists to create costume ideas using AI? BUT You know what’s even cooler? Our children’s imaginations. Imagination is more important than knowledge [and AI] (shoutout to Einstein)!

For Halloween and in daily life our son wanted to dress in all black to be the night. His plan is to become completely dark. How amazingly, incredibly and phenomenally cool is that? Our children’s imaginations leave such an impression on me.

He changed his mind several times as he thinks about what he wants to be. In the grand scheme of things, the Mario costume we got has nothing on being the night.

Dramatic play is truly an incredible way to play and engage especially when it comes to children’s development. Let them imagine all year round.

As Johnny Depp said something like this when it comes to being an actor, “Being able to play pretend for life is the best career anyone can have.”

Children get to do that (not only) on Halloween but for childhood and perhaps, even beyond.

Ps. “You can find out more about a person in an hour of play than in a year of conversation” -Plato

art, autumn, childhood, children, fall, Holidays, life, love

Falling and Jumping for Joy into Autumn

Gallery | Posted on by Jill Telford

Adios Summer. See you in a few seasons. Change is some kind of incredible for our souls. I’m noticing the leaves, the air, the fires and how nature in all of it, still cares. Our kids are noticing, too. Often I take notice how they gather, collect leaves and step through the crunchy brown ones. Hiking and walking while noticing nature all around is an art in itself.

Here are some of our Bucket List ideas for Fall Fun Things to do 🙂

  1. Get lost in a corn maze
  2. Use a compass / map to hike in and on the forest trails
  3. Pick some apples
  4. Leaf piles and JUMP in!
  5. Leaf peeping
  6. Pumpkins and Gourds
  7. Draw and observe what you notice
  8. Make natural “decorations” out of nature finds
  9. Hot cocoa 🙂
  10. Make hiking staffs
  11. Make a fire and tell stories
  12. Camp out on the trampoline
  13. Fall movie night outside
  14. Read and reread / retell stories about Fall or just because you like them stories
  15. Chop up wood
  16. Visit the Gnomes and Fairy gardens / Feeling inspired? Make one in your yard 🙂
  17. Make a list of what you’re thankful for (maybe on those beautiful fall leaves 🙂 and put it in a time capsule. Bury it somewhere and send gratitude into the universe and beyond!
  18. Take a road trip or walk to see the changes

Need more inspiration? Here’s a marsh mellow toast to another blog who offers some Fall Fun Things to do https://www.nickandalicia.com/2019/09/10-activities-to-do-this-autumn-fall-bucket-list-printable.html/

Happy Falling into Fall! Marsh mellow toasts to all of you. Enjoy the season, on purpose!

childhood, death, life

Let’s Get Out of the Way

Gallery | Posted on by Jill Telford

Photo by Leo Arslan on Pexels.com

Remember playing when you thought no one was looking? How did you feel? The freedom? The boredom? Making up unique games. The risk-taking. Facing challenges. Realizing that chanting “I think I can” works and just when you thought you couldn’t, you did it!

That’s what happens when we get out of the way of our children. In fact, we get out of the way of our own selves, too. Let them live and enjoy childhood. Let us enjoy, too! Life. Life is for living not dying. Living the adventures of it all and perhaps, that will carry us all forward into their grown up years and our grown up years continued.

education, earlyed, behavior, development, children, family, help

Presents or Presence?

Gallery | Posted on by Jill Telford

Photo by Vlada Karpovich on Pexels.com

Before you buy a bunch of stuff for people for holidays or birthdays…ask them what kind of gift do they want or need? What do you want to give?

Do they need the gift of quality time? Do they need the gift of service? Do they need some affirmation? Do they need to dance? Do they need a meaningful gift?

Keep it simple and ask what they need. Listen carefully.

Do they need any help?

Do they need someone to listen over a cup of cocoa coffee tea?

Maybe they need a kid free night.

If it’s for a child…could it be something they really want to do?

Maybe they could use a home cooked meal. 

Maybe they don’t know what to ask for or are too embarrassed to ask.

Maybe you can be the one who gives them what they need instead buying more stuff.

Maybe make something for them.

In fact, I wrote a book about this theme of too much stuff entitled:

The Stuffed House. https://www.amazon.com/Stuffed-House-Jill-Telford/dp/1484182316 and https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/18218199

It encourages donating stuff you no longer need or use. It also uses personification to bring humor to having too much stuff! We cannot take all of these things when we level up aka when we die. So, again, let’s ask: “presents or presence?”

education, earlyed, behavior, development, children, family, help

Three Gifts: Time, Talent and Treasure

Gallery | Posted on by Jill Telford

Photo by Matej on Pexels.com
Photo by Josh Willink on Pexels.com

Out of the three gifts we all possess, this little blog nugget will center on: the gift of time.

Please take a moment and take at least twenty minutes today and each day to do something with your kiddo. No commands, no goals, just be present in the moment. Give the gift of time and presence. We are here to become memories for them.

Shhhhh. Do not give directions. Be quiet and follow their lead. Listen. Actively listen. Really and truly listen. No interruptions. Just be in the moment. No questions asked.

Play, be in the moment.

education, earlyed, behavior, development, children, family, help

One Day at a Time

Gallery | Posted on by Jill Telford

Photo by julie aagaard on Pexels.com

The biggest adventure you can take is to fulfill your dreams one day at a time.

Life is not a checklist of all of the daily to do’s. Life is not a to do but an active pursuit of doing. Life is adventure when you do what you want to do. Actively and passionately living it will bring you joy. Presence is necessary daily. While others are making plans, choose to live. Dig deep to plant some roots. Even the flowers of life have roots. Where do your roots run? Where does the stem grow? Where does the crown reach?

Imagine for a moment if you will that you fall asleep one evening not ever to wake up again.

And while you sleep…your life flashes before your eyes.

How did you live it?

Did you choose peace? Did you choose war? Did you choose violence? Did you choose love? Did you choose the dark? Did you choose the light?

We have the power to choose.

Choose the active verb of life.

Live.

And, by all means, live it well.

books, childhood, children, culture, DAP, daycare, Ece, education, education, earlyed, behavior, development, children, family, help, family, life, love, moments, neuroscience, parenting, play, relationships, self-help, signs, soul, therapy, Uncategorized

No Such thing as a Bad Kid…Remember that!

Gallery | Posted on by Jill Telford

Instead of asking: “What’s wrong with him or her?” Ask, “What happened to him or her?” This will help you guide and have a better relationship with the children and grown ups in your life.

In a society that is in a rush to label, diagnose fix and break, be the exact opposite, be the one who slows down to notice, show compassion and listen. Just be there through the tears, through the ups and the downs. Notice and be present. Love.

We are society and we can in fact, choose love, consistency and conversations where we listen more and talk less. Slow down, listen to what children are showing and sharing. You will find out exactly what they need, don’t need and in return what you need and what you don’t need.

Slow down. Turtles have a lot to teach us in this way. Not the ninja turtles but the ones who hold up traffic as they cross the street. Taking their time. One turtle paw at a time. One paw in front of the other. There are times to be a cheetah and there are times to be a turtle. Choose wisely.

art, children, culture, family, life, lifepurpose, love, parenting, relationships, self-help, soul, therapy

Is my Jacket Expensive?

Gallery | Posted on by Jill Telford

Let’s talk. Wealth. Rich and Poor. While we teach our children to value what is inside of themselves: the who of what they are. Their being. Their essence. Others from outside will influence them or try to belittle them or what they care about at times, without even knowing it themselves. It tugs at their heart and their soul. Ours, too, just a little bit until we get the jolt back into what matters most. People. Relationships. Experiences. Memories. Time. Talent. Treasure.

Our son asked, “Hey mom, is my jacket expensive?” Quite frankly, it doesn’t even matter. These things, no matter the cost won’t matter in the next five minutes or even in the next five years. If it won’t matter in the next minutes, months or even years: who cares. It’s not the jacket but the memories we make in it that truly matter. While most of society will try to convince you that your worth is determined by what you have on, in real real reality, it doesn’t. What your life depends on is who you are, who you surround yourself with and what you care about. So, take care of yourself, others and your surroundings/your space then it ripples outward and onward changing lives for the better.

So, how much does your life cost? How much value and worth? Are you living poor in mindset? Have the courage to change it before it’s far too late. Don’t live for a too die for house. Don’t live for a too die for car.

Live for a too die for life.

Collect memories. Not things. Collect the times. Spend time well. Treasure it. We all have time, talent and treasure. It is how you define it. No one else. Love life. Live it well. Make it a life well spent. Spend life well. The currency is always strong when passionately and poetically lived.