at the beginning of september i could already feel it. my entire body was craving a slower way of living and i couldn't stop thinking about cosy afternoons, cuddled up on the couch with my little tribe and a good book. after a summer filled with outdoor adventures and late nights, i was more than ready to crawl back into my cocoon.
i love to live according to the seasons because my body naturally makes me feel what i need in that particular moment. i feel like the entire world would benefit from it if we all did that. but anyway, fall came around and my focus turned inward. on rainy days our house automatically smells like cinnamon because i love baking sweet treats for my family. we enjoy them afterwards with a big mug of tea, reading books under a pile of blankets and i'm here for it all.
my husband works incredibly hard so i can be with our kids fulltime and homeschool them. there's a lot of pressure on his shoulders so we make it a priority to slow down as much as possible on the weekends. i see a lot of young parents getting consumed by the rat race so i figured it might be helpful to share some of our favorite ways to connect and slow down with you.
🌲 an obvious one but go for forest walks. it has been scientifically proven that being in the forest lowers cortisol levels so it's a great way to let go of build-up stress from the past week and to recharge. i make it a priority to truly focus on the beauty around me. i can get really excited when finding a unique toadstool or spotting a rare bird. it really gets me out of my head so i would 100% recommend. (don't forget to pick up chestnuts)
🔥 we love to make a fire and gather around it with our family to catch up on how everyone has been feeling lately. the kids have a fire starter and while they are a bit too young to actually use it, they love watching us succeed.
🌰 throughout fall we always have chestnuts on hand as the kids l o v e collecting forest treasures. so after our wood has burned up, i often put a pan in the firebowl to roast some chestnuts and enjoy them together. can't make a fire? you can easily roast them in the oven as well.
🍪 i absolutely love to bake sweet treats. sometimes together with the kids, sometimes on my own - depending on my own headspace. cinnamon rolls and apple turnovers are a favorite in our household and we always have some sort of homemade cookies on hand. ever since having kids i stopped buying them and made it a priority to make them myself so i know exactly what ingredients are in them.
🎲 the kids love playing board games together. it's a great way to connect as a family.
🍅 during fall & winter we love to make soup together and enjoy it with some homemade bread or focaccia. we recently created the best yet easiest tomato soup ever and the kids request it weekly.
🎬 we very much limit screen time in our family as we notice a lot of big feelings when they do watch more often but every now and then we enjoy a movie together. nothing better than everyone freshly bathed or showered, in pj's, candles lit and cuddled up together on the couch with a snack and a sweet movie.
🎨 our kids often make up or hear of projects they want to work out. we are very lucky to be able to work them out at any given moment throughout the week but i, myself, get to enjoy those creative moments the most when dad is at home to entertain our smallest kiddo hehe.
🖌️ i like to get creative myself too. the best way to get out of my head - next to going to the forest - is by creating things with my hands. at the moment i really enjoy aquarel painting and needle felting. i'm not the best at it but that doesn't matter because i truly enjoy the process and i love how my work is evolving. i also love how it shows the kids that - even though there are 3 baskets of laundry to fold and the entire house is a mess - it is okay to prioritize time to recharge. and the best thing is: 99% of the time the kids join me and start creating themselves too. monkey see, monkey do.
📖 reading, always.
i used to doubt our weekends sometimes as social media mostly shows families doing all kinds of fancy activities with their kids. but over the years i learned that our kids thrive most when just being in nature without any distractions or instructions. they get so creative and their imagination goes wild and my husband & i get to recharge and enjoy them to the fullest.
what is your favorite way to connect and slow down? let's inspire each other ❤️🔥