Ordinary Rituals with Children

Every single trip to the grocery store, the twins are eager to see the monster.

They wave and say hello to the monster.

It doesn’t matter that he doesn’t talk back.

It doesn’t matter that the monster is actually a longhorn cow.

They used to be scared of the monster, but he grew on them. And now he is like a loyal friend always there greet them.

This ritual at the grocery store is important to my children.  There is a sense of security knowing that this monster is always in the same place.  This constancy is an assurance of their safety.

My younger children didn’t always have this feeling of being grounded to this city they now call home.

In less than three years, they had lived in four different homes.  Each time with different parents in different cities.

Except for having each other, nothing stayed the same for them.

Their sense of normalcy and predictability was constantly turned upside down.

So we cherish the normal and simple routines in our new lives we are creating together.

Saying hello to the monster at the grocery store is one our regular rituals, and it is something they can rely on.

Simple rituals allow our children to feel protected.

Honor the ordinary rituals with your children.

{This post may look familiar. It was originally shared on my Facebook Page, and I have edited it to share here on the blog.}