Brought to you by Bupa.
A year or so ago something happened in my family. It was sad and heartbreaking, and as a sensitive person I really got stressed about it. Lulu was just barely two at the time. Hubby, Lulu and I headed outside to grab some fresh air, so I could chill out. I cried, a lot. In the middle of my sobbing, Lulu came up to me and asked, “Mama, what’s your favourite thing today?”
I died of the cute. I stopped crying and started laughing {because, emotions}. We’ve been doing this thing as a family for a long time now, at the end of each day we’ll go around the table and ask, “What’s your favourite thing today?”
I love hearing what the kids have to say, and I had always hope that it would help them practice gratitude, reflection and positivity… but what I didn’t realise that I was helping them create tools for life. In that moment Lulu, at just two with all her wisdom, wanted to change my mood from sad to happy and used the tools that we’d taught over dinnertime.
It was seriously the sweetest thing ever. Over the past six months we’ve started adding in ‘worsts’ too, because it’s life and things happen that challenge us. We’ll talk about our favourite moments, but also about the biggest challenge in the day. I hope that it helps the girls know that life isn’t always rainbows, and we all have challenges. Some days those hurdles are bigger than other days.
These conversations are little traditions for our family now, and I love them so much. I love that those simple questions open up the conversation further, and before we know it we’re all chatting about everything and anything. Bupa recently popped over to my house, and I shared why I think these moments really matter. They help us connect as a family, and take time away from the craziness of life to just be together.
I am already noticing that sometimes it’s harder to get kids to talk as they get older {so not cool, Mum!}, but I’m hoping these little moments we’ve started keep going as the kids get older, and we can keep connecting together. If you’re keen to make the little moments matter in your family too, sign up to the Bupa challenge. It’s free and super easy to be part of. Sign up here.
How do you connect as a family? I’d love to hear about the little things that you do together.
