Mother's Oxygen Mask

My handsome husband has always wanted to take me back to where he served his mission - after having five kids in seven years, we finally found the right time to go!  (Calgary, Canada ~ Spanish Speaking)
I laugh every time the flight attendant says, "Please secure your own mask before assisting others." 

This rings SO true for me as a mother.  The very bottom of the Mothering Pyramid is Mindful Foundation.  It consists of Daily Foundation Time, The Power of Calm, and Self Nurturing.  Our children learn so much by what we are and the feelings they experience with us.  It's easy for us, as mothers, to secure the children's oxygen mask, and let's face it, sometimes even our dear husband's oxygen mask, before ensuring we have enough oxygen of our own to create a positive experience for everyone.

For me, my Daily Foundation Time is key to being calm and truly aware of the needs of others.  My favorite time of day, when I have the quiet all to myself, is in the early morning before my busy young family wakes.  I read, listen to soft music, and visualize who I want to BE throughout the day, amidst the urgent 'doing'.  Only then can I fully embrace the next level of the Mothering Pyramid - Be Present in the Moments.  We all have the desire to be present in the moments and respond in a way that will edify.  More on that soon :)             

Lake Louise, right outside of beautiful Banff in Alberta, Canada.  Breathtaking!  We timed it just right and missed the rain by a few hours.   The water was a beautiful blue and the sun was setting just over the mountain.  A peaceful hour of heaven on earth.  And, a much needed get-away.

Mothering Pyramid, Summer Swim, and a Beautiful Baptism

As mothers, our hearts really want to spend the majority of our time Helping Things Go Right instead of Fixing Things that are Going Wrong, right? :)  I was asked to teach a parenting class a few weeks ago and I couldn't help but compile all of my favorite parenting mentors into one doable visual aid.    

Mothering Pyramid Ingredients:

3 cups Arbinger Parenting Pyramid

2 cups The Power of Positive Parenting
1 cup Leadership Education

1/2 cup Love and Logic

1 Tbs Teaching Children Self Government

a dash of Covey

I know that for myself, when I'm distracted and or in a hurry, I tend to start from the top of the pyramid with corrections and consequences when something goes wrong.  But, the key to this pyramid is to start from the bottom with our own personal foundation :)  Each section of the pyramid builds upon itself starting from the bottom up.  When something isn't flowing in a particular section of the pyramid, always look below for the solution.  

Loved this beautiful day :)