Breathe…start the day calm if you can!

So, it is that time of year again…back to school. Back to the hectic schedules, staying organized, getting kids out the door in time for school, getting lunches made the night before (if you’re lucky), staying on top of the laundry, trying to teach the kids to keep their stuff in one place so they know where it is, getting homework done, and on top of all that taking the time to read all the back-to-school tips to try and get you ready to start.

As a babysitter everyday seems like a back-to-school schedule because when parents go to work babysitters are the ones that need to organize the kids for the day, set a schedule for the day or week, decide on lunches and sometimes breakfast and even dinner, keeping the house organized while play is attended to, and making sure chores are done, and their education is attended to by reading or other educational activities. So, this is just a simple routine that I use to start my day. I hope you will be able to implement it into your day (chances are you won’t because the day with kids starts like a slap in the face). However, this will only take 3 minutes:

Stay in your jammies, however do stand-up, place your feet a little wider then your hips, and simply imagine that all your joints are springs (which, in reality, they are); ankle, knees, wrists, hips, fingers (you get the picture). Now bounce gently, then shake your body in a comfortable but vigorous rhythm, allowing your shoulders to move up and down, your head to bob, your hands to flap, and your breath to be free. Keep this going for a whole minute. When you stop, just be still for a moment and feel the natural movement of your breath; notice how alive your body feels (hopefully). Now sit down on a comfortable surface. With your jaw relaxed and your chest and belly soft, take an inhale, feeling the breath flow in, bathing your body and mind in a refreshing, cleansing energy, then falling freely into an exhale. Allow the next inhale to come like a gentle wave rising, so there’s a nice, soft, circular feel to the breath-no break between inhale and exhale. Continue this connected flow for about two minutes. Then sit for a moment breathe naturally, and enjoy being awake and feeling whole.