Sustaining individuals and communities
Shortened cold, gray and damp
days are hardly elements that motivate us to get outside, right? When I
talk with teens in my office about spending time in nature,
particularly in the winter months, the conversation quickly shifts to
avoiding the cold and waiting until Spring when things warm up and
everything starts to brighten and bloom again.
I
get it. We’re more inclined to associate winter as a time for solitude
and it's important to make time for rest, but the reality is when we
allow the conditions of each season to control our relationship with the
natural world, our preferences may result in waiting out the
“uncomfortable” for the more “comfortable” and before we know it, we
can end up spending days, even months stuck inside.
Fostering a sense of belonging in a family is an important part of cultivating a positive family culture. It is vital for our children that our homes are a space where they feel safe, connected, loved and accepted unconditionally.
Children need to feel they belong. And they need to feel that they are a part of something bigger than themselves – something important, and special. It is this sense of belonging that builds resilience in our children. It helps them develop healthy self esteem and self identity and gives them the confidence they need to manage challenges, to solve problems and to ask for help when they need it.
But a positive family culture doesn’t just happen on its own. Building a healthy, loving home – and family – requires intentionality. It requires us as parents to set clear guidelines – a pathway for us and our children based on our own big vision for what we want our family to look and feel like. And a great way to do this is by creating a family mission statement.
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