By Sally Saint
The current global crisis has called for a real ‘girding of the loins’ of every single parent. The importance of a solid base for our children, a home that feels safe and full of love is vital now.
With more and more evidence on the effects of stress on health and wellbeing, we as parents have a hugely important role to do, that of gatekeeper.
I use the term ‘gatekeeper’ as the one who stands guard and only allows inside that which is of love and light, the keeper of balance and wholeness in the home.
You see we all have zero control over the current tide that is sweeping across the planet but we have every bit of control over what energy comes to rest in our homes.
As you consider the image of a hearth, that which safely holds the fire that warms us all, then we see the cosy image that is brought into our minds. This hearth we can all create and feed with the right kind of fuel.
For we can choose damp wood which would create all smoke and very little heat, or we can choose to put the right things on our fire.
Love and kindness, self-care and self-love create a healthy fire; fear and anxiety will cause the fire to smoke, burn our eyes and choke us.
This is not about denying what is happening – this is about creating and maintaining a strong base for our children, for they need this and so do we.
The effort taken in creating this environment will pay off dividends. So no matter what age your child is, turn off the news when they are around. If they are old enough, discuss it with them but try and keep to the facts.
You see if this pandemic was a short-term challenge, then we would not have to be thinking so seriously about this, but the fact is it’s here for some time. So it’s for us to decide, to claim the sacred space that is our hearth and home.
