Soul Talk with Heather Cri

The Mindful Momma

Back to School: Backpacks, Lunches, and the Baggage We Don’t Mean to Pack

ByAntoinnetteMajors

There’sacertainrhythmtoback-toschoolmornings.Alarmsbuzzing beforethesunrises,cerealbowlsleft half-full,thatloneshoethatrefusesto befound.Thehouseisfullofmotion, andyet somemornings itstillfeels likenothingismovingquiteright

I’vehadthosemornings Theones whereI’malreadyoverwhelmed beforeI’veevensaid,“goodmorning.” AndI’vewatchedhowthatenergy, whetherIintendeditornot,gets passedon.Becauseourchildrendon’t justwalkintoschoolcarrying foldersandlunchbags Theycarry theweightofourmoods,thetoneof ourvoices,therush ortherhythm ofhowtheirdaybegan Thetruthis, thewaywewakethemmattersjust asmuchaswhatwesendthemoff with

Thinkabouthowitfeelswhenyouare joltedawakebyablaringalarmor sharpvoice.Yourheartpounds.Your breathgetsstuck It’snotjust unpleasant it’sdysregulating Now imaginebeinggentlystirredawakeby softlight,alovingwhisper,orawarm handbrushingyourback The differencelivesinyournervoussystem andtheirstoo

Researchshowsthatthewaywewake upimpactsthebody’scortisollevels, whichplayakeyroleinhowwehandle stress Whenchildrenareawakened harshlyorinarush,theirnervous systemscanstartthedayinfight-orflightmode,makingithardertofocus, listen,oremotionallyregulateatschool Gentlewakeups,ontheotherhand, supportemotionalregulationanda senseofsafety It’snotaboutcrafting theperfectmorning it’sabout softeningthestart

Evenjustafewintentionalmomentscan shiftthetoneofthewholeday: Agroundingbreathtogetherbefore thedoorclosesbehindthem Asimplegoodbyeritual.Ahighfive.A foreheadkiss Awhispered“Yougot thistoday”

Aquestiontoanchortheirday.“What worddoyouwanttocarrywithyou?”

Anaffirmationtocarrythroughthe day.“Icandohardthings.”

Thesethingsdon’ttakemuchtime But theyoffereverything:connection, regulation,andareminderthattheyare morethantheto-dolistsandtestscores

Sothisschoolyear,I’maskingmyself andmaybeyouaretoo:

Whataremychildrencarryingwith themwhentheyleavethehouse? WhatenergydidIsendthemoff with?

Andwhat’sonesmallshiftIcanmake tolightentheirload?

Wecan’tcontroleverymorning Butwe canbeintentionalwiththemoments thatmattermost beforethebellrings

Shareashiftthatyouwillbemakingthis schoolyearforachancetowinaSchool DayAffirmationDeckfromMajor Elements.

About the Author

owner

coaching practice that helps expecting mothers access their innate power and intuition so that they are empowered to create the birthing experience they desire

Antoinnette Majors is the

of Momma Mindframe, a prenatal mindset