A Month in Moments - December Edition

There is something magical about bringing light to a season of darkness. Almost all major religions have a holiday that in some way celebrates light. Growing up, we had an Advent wreath we lit at dinner for most of the month of December and we had semi-frequent disagreements about the appropriate setting for our Christmas tree lights (I preferred a slow fade, my brother enjoyed the strobe light effect). As I got older, I fell in love with the season of Advent and the idea that waiting can be joyful. Whether we are waiting for the light of a religious holiday, the light of longer days, for the end of 2018, or the first snow, this is a season of waiting we may sometimes be tempted to rush through. When we choose to wait with joy and prepare with excitement, it is easier to share in our children's/student's joy.

For many of us, we have traditions of gift-giving during this season. What I have aimed to do with this month's A Month in Moments calendar (open HERE) was to focus on small projects that are a joy to make and give. My hope is that families and classrooms can slow down, explore some different materials, get to know people and animals in their community, and wait joyfully by giving small gifts of the heart (I strongly recommend the book of this name by Patricia Polacco :). throughout this month! You'll see a week focused on sharing with our neighbors, another for small gifts to give to and games to play with our friends, a week of creating feeders and toys for animal friends, and a week and a half focused on people closest to you. You'll also noticed I've sneaked in some opportunities for gathering nature treasures. Outdoor play is fantastic for physical and mental health and helps kiddos notice how the world around them is changing. AND, it's good for us as adults too even if it means taking forever to put layers on many children.