“It is so easy to lose focus on what matters most,” lamented a Learn Forward team member as we reflected together.  My heart nods in agreement this morning as the geese sound the call for the end of summer. I want to experience a connection with nature, the organic experience of melting into a new season with forward momentum. But, it all feels so esoteric when my daily life is filled with deadlines, pressures, and imperfections.

While I am deeply connected to helping children thrive, I am asking the questions, how does that work in practice? How can I maintain focus on what matters most?

Learn Forward is more than a philosophy, it is a practice.

My own treacherous journey of life called me to renewal this week. Allow me to share. Remember a few weeks ago when I journaled about Morning Routines? Well, my routine melted down this week. By Tuesday evening I was pinning on Pinterest about the highly sensitive child hoping to better understand and on Wednesday morning we had more of the same.

Our 4-year-old treasure was having a temper tantrum at every turn. After the fifth meltdown between 7 and 7:30am, a miscommunication between The Builder and me, and the embarrassing reality that I was going to be late for the meeting I was facilitating, I was losing it. I became a kind of wife and mother I do not want to be.

Failure led to frazzle and I carried it like a burlap sack of stones to the car.

There is a mystery when we get to the end of ourselves. In those moments of frustration and shame, in those moments of agony and turmoil, there is a mysterious grace. We realize we aren’t meeting our child’s needs and this certainly isn’t thriving.

We move to what is most important. It gets crystal clear.  We focus on what matters most.

We walk forward in love and light. We take care of ourselves, so we can take care of others. We embrace the change of seasons. We knead thoughtfulness and truth into the issues of our day.

On the drive to school, G quietly encouraged me from the back seat, “It will go better tomorrow, Mum.” I knew it would.  It did.

You may have the pressures of teenage children in your home or the fatigue of parent conferences in your classroom.  You may have an unruly group of Grade 4 students or a child filled with anxiety or depression in your home.

Consider the children in your life…

What do you want to go better tomorrow? What do you know for sure? As you think of the children in your home or your classroom, what is crystal clear? How can you provide what they need the most?

For the sake of the children,

Karine

P.S.  If you want to grow further in your Learn Forward practice, the Learn Forward Starter Kit is just for you! Also, subscribe now to get exclusive offers of the Learn Forward book.  I know the book will help us all stay focused on what matters most!