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Speaking to Children

Mental Health

I started an article a while back specifically about how your children hear you speak about your body, and I still will discuss that, but I’d like to expand the horizon a little. 

Stop occasionally and listen to how your kids speak to themselves and each other. Children hear much more than you think they do. They hear how you speak about your body, they hear how you speak to the other drivers on the highway, they hear how you speak when you are happy and when you are frustrated. Then they will take all this absorbed speech and begin to themselves use it. This is one reason self degrading speech in small kids is alarming because they didn’t manifest the thoughts on their own, they are repeating thoughts they’ve heard verbalized by adults in their life. 

The more I am around a large number of other people’s kids, I am noticing this more. I know I have a different way of speaking than would be common or normal for most kids. And I’ve heard my words wind their way into the kids’ speech. Most modern 5 year olds are not likely to use the word “lollygagging” but the longer the school year has gone on, the more I’ve heard it. A child the other day told me a friend was antagonizing him, a word he had previously asked me the meaning of when I’d used it.

I’ve also noticed beyond my odd lexicon, they’ve even adopted my speech patterns and habits. I make it a point to praise them when they do well. I am constantly spreading words of encouragement to the students. Gradually, the students have begun praising and encouraging one another, and doing it in the same exact manner in which I do it. They have even begun showing one another their work and congratulating each other on how well they are doing. 

In a more solemn tone, when one friend is upset, I’ve seen them go and comfort their friends more rapidly, and mimic the same movements and tones they see me use when I am comforting a hurting friend. They see every movement I make, and I can see in real time how I am unconsciously imparting myself onto them. 

Many adults are more than likely unaware of how they are affecting their children in how they speak. Particularly when they aren’t speaking to the child. But it is very important to remember that children hear and see much much more than we think they do. Children repeat what they hear. So, perhaps you and your partner discuss current politics at the dinner table, your kids will repeat it at school. If your kids hear you and your partner arguing, they will mimic you when they get into an argument with their friends. This isnt always a negative thing, but it can be. 

Studies show that children in Elementary school are already showing displeasure in their physical appearance and wish to be more thin. Elementary School. That’s ages 7-11. Preschool teachers have reported children as young as 2-5 developing negative self images. Where are kids that young getting the idea that they are fat and ugly and need to be on diets? Why are such small children so negatively speaking about themselves? They hear it from adults. 

“But I would never tell my child they were fat!!” parents may say. No, I don’t think you do. What I do think is that you probably don’t realize your child hears you speak about yourself. You probably don’t think they notice when you grimace in the mirror. You don’t notice how you talk to yourself in the grocery store about needing to eat healthier because of all that extra weight you’ve put on. They soak in everything. They see your relationship with food, with your body, with your self image. 

How do you react when you are frustrated? I bet your children could tell you. They see that too, and they emulate it. I can see it in the children in the classroom. Do you huff and yell when you are frustrated? Do you give up and say you can’t do it? Kids see how you act when things aren’t going your way, and they see it as a model for their own frustrating situations. 

How you purposely speak to your children is important too. I can tell you exactly which parents make a point to praise their children and compliment them because these are the children that throw praise and compliments around like confetti. I’m glad to say, it’s quite a few of them. Most children I am incontact with are oozing with love and confidence. But the difference is we are very aware of this speech and take care to do it appropriately. It’s the times we aren’t thinking about it that shock us. 

Look, I’m not an overflowing well of self confidence. I’ve complained about my tummy pudge. I’ve verbally berated myself for being stupid. I’ve gotten angry at my partner and said mean things I shouldn’t have. None of us are perfect. However, being aware of how much kids recreate their parents behaviour has made me so much more conscious of my own behaviour and speech.

Some of the ways you can help your children in this area is in part the deliberate way you speak to them. When they are really getting on your nerves, how do you respond to them? This will inform them both about your relationship with them and how to respond to others who irritate them. Do you ask them open-ended questions and listen to them answer? This will open the opportunity to discuss big questions and how they view the world. Are you allowing them to engage with the grocery shopping and cooking process? This will help them shape their view of food and health. Do you praise them when they do well or when they do something you ask? This will reinforce positive behaviour and speech. Have you ever sat down with your kids and asked them to tell you a story about their favorite activity and why it’s their favorite? This lets them know their feelings are important and they are valuable. Are you speaking down to them or in a level respectful way? All of these things are things parents can be aware and conscious of when they are speaking directly to their children. All of them will affect how they interact with other people, with you, and how they see themselves. How you are directly speaking to them does make a big difference. How you listen to them is equally as important. 

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There are however indirect ways in which our kids absorb our speech and behaviours. These happen when our kids see and hear us talk or act, but we aren’t speaking to them. These may be in how they see us interact with other adults and what we talk about with them. What we do when we get into disagreements with our partner or how we speak to our partners on a daily basis. How we speak to ourselves about ourselves. Are you using positive language to talk about yourself? This isn’t just in regards to physical appearance, though it does apply to that. How do you speak to yourself when you make a mistake? Do you say, “Oh, I’m so dumb!”? This shows them when they mess up, they are dumb, becasue you think you are. How do you speak to yourself when you are struggling with a task? This tells children how you persevere and how they should. Children see how we deal with these situations as well and they will internalize them. 

On the most basic level, the manner in which you speak is being imparted to them. Do you talk in a soft airy voice or a loud booming voice? Are you likely to use the word “jazzed” in common conversation? What word do you say when you stub your toe? I promise your kids notice this and interject it into their speech. Your patterns, syntax and vocabulary are all being heard and emulated by your kids. Again, this is not necessarily a bad thing. As I mentioned above, the kids in my room are learning new and unusual words from me and expanding their vocabulary and that is good. Your child trying to sound like you when you speak is just a way they look up to you. But it has potential to be dangerous so be careful. I’ve also heard kids call each other cruel names that aren’t normal for 4-6 year olds, or scream and belittle each other when they are mad at one another. We give our kids so much more than we realize just by being our normal selves. That is why it is so important to be sure we are giving them something positive.

In summary, your kids are watching you and will internalize your behaviors and adopt them. We, as the adults in children’s lives need to be more aware of what we are modeling for them to absorb. We intend to give them good things to copy, but we don’t always achieve that goal. It’s okay. We can all always do better, no matter who you are, so be aware of yourself. And maybe, like myself, this means we need to learn to love and appreciate ourselves a little bit more to be sure we are teaching our kids to love and appreciate themselves. 

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Utilizing Montessori at Home

Intellectual Health

I saw an article recently pop up about using Montessori techniques for homeschooling, especially since there has been such a sharp increase in families schooling from home this year due to the pandemic. Unfortunately the article didn’t prove to be very helpful. It was filled with telling parents to buy Montessori materials for your home. Something I don’t find incredibly useful right now.  Montessori materials can be expensive, and take up space, two things families may or may not be able to accommodate. Being such a firm believer in the Montessori learning strategy and being in a Montessori school, I see ways that the techniques can easily be used in a homeschool environment that don’t require large purchases. If you are truly interested in this, I strongly suggest The Montessori Toddler by Simone Davies. She has written it to teach parents how to implement the methods in the home environment, and is perfect for this scenario. 

Since so much of the mind set of Montessori goes beyond, learn ABCs and do Math, there are many ways to teach your children in the home that do not involve “Teaching” materials of any kind. Have your children cook dinner with you, or if they are big enough, let them plan and cook an entire meal themselves. Take them grocery shopping with you and let them check out and pay. Have them help you sweep and mop and clean the house. Have them fold their laundry and make their beds. Get them a potted plant to care for. These are all ways to involve your kids in the day to day house function and gives them a sense of responsibility in addition to the various skills they are building. Doing something as simple as reading books to them helps build their language comprehension and imagination. Keep in mind that children absorb the world around them and learn from it. Your everyday life can be full of learning experiences. 

But let’s look into some Work that can be done at home that does teach ABC and Math. I’ve chosen a handful of things that can easily be done at home with items you may even have laying around to give you some tools to help bolster your Homeschool experience. 

Sorting Coins:

You will need a handful of random coins, a large bowl, and four smaller bowls.

Place the large bowl in the middle and fill it with your handful of coins. Put the smaller bowls around it in a circle. The child will then be instructed to sort the coins by type into the four bowls. The goal here is to recognize and be able to separate items by size and shape. You could do this with colored stones or beads or toy dinosaurs if you really wanted. Sorting prepares students for Math and Science. 

Numbers and Counters:

You will need a set of number flashcards and Aquarium Marbles.

Have the child set out the flashcards in order from One to Ten, then place the correct number of marbles underneath each number. You can then further use the physical marbles to explain Even and Odd. Odd has a single marble standing alone, like number one, while even numbers do not. This helps students to practice their numbers and counting in a physical way that requires movement and utilizes more than one of their senses. This is a Math work.

Sock Matching:

You will need several pairs of socks.

Mix up the socks, making sure each sock has a match. Allow the child to find the matches and then fold them together. The goal is to notice patterns and matches, which prepares for Math and Language, but also improves dexterity and fine motor skills in the act of folding

Moveable Alphabet:

You will need a few sets of alphabet flashcards. 

Once your child has mastered a few letter sounds, they can begin to build words with them. The moveable alphabet is wooden letters, but you could accomplish the same goal with flashcards. It won’t be exactly the same, but it would suffice in these crazy circumstances we find ourselves in. Pull out the sounds they know and tell them a word, sounding it out clearly. Have them sound it out back to you. Identify the sounds with them, and then have them find the letters that make those sounds. To start use only short three letter words like cat or hat. Identify the three sounds, beginning C, then the middle A, and the end T. If they use a K instead of a C don’t correct them. K makes the same sound as C in cat. At this point spelling is not that important so long as the sounds they are choosing are correct. Once they have built the word, give them paper and a pencil and have them write the words. In the beginning, you may need to use a highlighter to write them and have them trace your letters until they become more confident in writing. Use more and more sounds until they can use the entire alphabet. Eventually reading and writing will become the goals.

“I Spy”:

You will need several objects or toys.

Lay out a handful of items in between you and your child, and be sure they know what each item is. Say, “I Spy something that begins with (Letter Sound)”. If they have trouble, go down the group of items and ask if this begins with (Letter Sound) until they can choose the correct item. In addition, If they say something that you weren’t thinking of as a name but it is accurate, don’t stop and correct them, give it to them. For example, let’s say you have a dog, a bear, a toucan, a house, and a pumpkin laid out on the table. You ask for something that begins with “b” and your child says, “Bird!” give them the toucan. It may not have been what you intended, but they positively identified the correct sound. The goal is to help children learn their letter sounds and be able to know them confidently in words and sentences.

Tweezer Erasers

You will need a package of small erasers, tweezers, and a plastic ice tray.

Using the tweezers, have your child grasp the erasers and place one into each of the ice cube trays. Once they have accomplished this, have them pick them back up, with the tweezers and return them to the original container. The goal here is to strengthen the pincer grasp, which is fundamental to holding a pencil and develops fine motor skills.

Continent Matching:

You will need to print a map of the continents and then various animals that live on all of the continents. 

Lay the map out and give your child the pictures of animals. Allow them to place the animals where they think they live. Discuss the various climates and why the animal may thrive in that kind of environment. The goal is for children to learn about the different places in the world and what they are like. It familiarizes them with nature and its many different creatures.

Art Folder:

You will need Blank Paper, Markers or crayons, and a Folder.

Something pretty simple you can do with your kids is craft projects. Both art kits with specific pieces and instructions and unstructured creating. Give them some glue and paper and googly eyes and watch what they create with it. Build a birdhouse together. Creating art is excellent in bolstering their imagination and creative thinking, but also develops fine motor skills. One work is to give your child an Art Folder, which is a three pronged folder with blank paper in it. Have them draw and color until the folder is full, then take out the paper and staple it to look like a book. They’ve made an Art Book! 

With everything happening and many children now learning from home, I am sure parents are concerned their children are getting the education they need. These are simply a few Works I think could be successfully used in the home without too much out of pocket expense on the parents. Pulling one of these out can break up the usual school routine and even be fun to do with your child. Always remember that children soak up everything around them, so even when you don’t think you are teaching them, you probably are. Get a footstool and teach them how to make the secret family recipes this Holiday season. Dump out the box of Legos and build a city with them. You can teach your children so much by engaging in activities with them.

And remember to give yourself a break. Its been a stressful year, and you deserve to give yourself some slack. As parents we fret over our children and how to give them the best opportunities. I know, I do it too. My hope is that by giving you a few more tools and ideas, it will boost some creativity, and help ease your mind a little bit. You can do this.

How are you talking to your children about their bodies?

Mental Health, Physical Health

How are you talking to your children about their bodies? Perhaps a bigger question is how do your children hear you talk about your own body?


Children absorb everything they see, hear, touch, and experience. Do they see, hear and
experience a positive body image? I know many of us struggle with our body image and it can be hard to impart positivity to our children. We may not even realize what kind of imagery we are giving them.


But consider this: in 2016 the Professional Association for Childcare and Early Years released a study they had done on body image in children. They found that childcare workers reported that they had seen 24% of children as young as 3 years old showing dissatisfaction with their bodies. Yes, you read that right, 3 years old. By the time they were ages 6-11 that number jumped to 47%. Teachers have also shared their concern with elementary age students attempting to go on diets to lose weight. 11 years old and younger trying to go on diets.
I’m going to give parents the benefit of the doubt and guess most of them aren’t telling their children they are fat and ugly. But kids are getting these ideas from somewhere. They are absorbing this mindset from someplace.


Some of it may be unavoidable. Diet culture screams at us in the grocery aisles and from ads on TV. I don’t know if its possible to avoid it entirely. But you can control how to speak to yourself and your children. Do they hear you degrade yourself while looking in the mirror? Are you on and off this diet and that one? What is your relationship with food? How do you stay active? Is your sole reason for exercise to lose weight? All of these things we may not be paying attention to, our children are very much noticing.

Some of it may be unavoidable. Diet culture screams at us in the grocery aisles and from ads on

TV. I don’t know if its possible to avoid it entirely. But you can control how to speak to yourself

and your children.

-Andie


For me, my biggest struggle is how I treat my own self and my own body image. I’d never groan at my children and mumble about the size of their clothes, but I have done that to myself.
Children notice that and absorb it as normal and so begin to do it to themselves. If you force yourself to be small to make yourself feel beautiful, your children are going to absorb that even if you never say that directly to them. I’ve made a point of referring to food as fuel for our bodies and avoided terms like “good” and “bad” in attempt to give them a healthy relationship with food.
I’ve still caught myself however sighing as I eat a cupcake and saying, “ugh, I should not eat this” or “this is going straight to my thighs”. In this regard, kids definitely follow more of what we do and less of what we say.


If you’re like me, you don’t want to pass down your insecurities to your children. The thought of unconsciously doing it scares me a little. It takes an active conscious effort to not pass it on. Its a challenge to put in that effort, but its a challenge worth taking up.

The World Before and After COVID: Nature Exhibit Edition

Mental Health

After being stuck inside for the last couple months and staying mostly close to home due to the pandemic, my children were eager to get out and about. Some places remain closed, but a few have reopened. This was our first trip into the world with all of the changes and precautions outside of my grocery shopping. 

First I will describe what this place was like before COVID-19. It is an invertebrate zoo, so mostly a house of bugs. It was open to be freely wandered around observing all the various bugs and invertebrate creatures. After all the exhibits, there is a large indoor play area with a big tree house and a play camping area. My kids love this space and often spent lots of time playing there. Outside the building is a spacious garden area with walking trails.

They also have beehives, one of which is sealed with transparent plastic inside the building allowing the visitors to see the inner workings of the hive. Outside in the gardens you can observe the honey bees gathering nectar, and in the gift shop you can buy honey made in these hives. 

Now, since the pandemic and their reopening, a few things have changed. But overall, I have to commend them for their efforts to operate safely.

First, you aren’t able to show up and buy tickets, all tickets have to be reserved ahead of time and there are limited quantities available. You reserve a time slot for your group and an employee will meet you at your designated time. You are then guided through the exhibits by the employee and given 20 minutes in each area. Masks are required for each person over the age of 3 unless a medical condition prevents this. However they were gracious with the younger kids who had trouble keeping their masks on and were gentle to remind them or parents of the guideline. After each tour went through, surfaces were sanitized before the next group came in. 

They also did a small butterfly release during each tour instead of their usual large release event, which the children enjoyed. I do wish the time in each room was extended, even to 30 minutes, because my son insisted on singing isty bitsy spider to every, single, spider we saw. Despite the restrictions, we still had a nice time and I felt safe with how they were handling their opening.

Of course the play area was completely closed off, which I expected. Unfortunately that is also where the ladybugs are, but sacrifices must be made. The outside gardens however were of course open. Being early summer, many of the flowers were still in bloom and we did get to observe some bees coming and going. Birds were also everywhere in the gardens and ducks playing in the pond.

With everything happening and people questioning the safety of going out again, I think this place did well transitioning into this new world we are living in right now. If you are wondering what to look for as far as safety measures look for a couple things. 

  1. Reserved time slots and the number of people allowed in during each time frame.
  2. Mask requirements and how strictly this is enforced. 
  3. Sanitization routines

I’m seeing museums and places like that are able to do timed tours easily settling into a safe routine much like the one we did at this invertebrate zoo. I also see places like our city zoo that is mostly outdoors finding a safe way to reopen as well. Indoor play spaces are having more trouble in the reopening city as they would have a much harder time keeping things cleaned. Those places remain closed. If you are still not comfortable taking your kids out even with the new guidelines, then I’d stay on the safe side. I’m thankful to be out, but I’m still being cautious. Stay safe out there!

Experiment Living like a Studio Ghibli Character

Intellectual Health, Mental Health

An unpleasant funk is where my mind has been. It’s an odd longing for something more, but a lack of motivation to do it. I knew I needed to fight out of this funk before it grew into something worse, but almost felt helpless to do it. How much does it cost and can it fit into the budget? I thought. I’d be drawn to movies and just not move for hours. The cleanliness of the house declined. I stopped looking for a job. One day, I put in a Studio Ghibli movie and it sparked a curiosity within me.

For those who are unfamiliar, Studio Ghibli is a Japanese animation company that was founded in 1985. They are known for their animated feature films, short films and a few television commercials. Disney partnered with Ghibli to release their films internationally and translate them into other languages. Though the films are not owned by Disney, they were distributed by Disney. The English versions feature the voice talents of a myriad of high level actors including Sir Patrick Stewart, Christian Bale, Anne Hathaway, Billy Crystal and Liam Neeson. Even Amy Poehler had a role in one of the films.

If you have never seen a Studio Ghibli film, I encourage you to pause and look them up. They are incredible. I would suggest Howl’s Moving Castle (it’s the first one I saw) or Kiki’s Delivery Service (my favorite), though any one you choose will be excellent.

I love the magical worlds of Studio Ghibli films, and often long to live inside of them. The bright animation and, oh my goodness, the food! What captures my attention right now are the films set in our modern non magical world. They exist in our world, and somehow the characters lives are still fulfilling and enchanting. The most defining feature of Ghibli protagonists is their strong character development. It is why I love the stories so much. But what details encompass their lives and the worlds they live in? How do they build such lovable yet complex and growing characters? Could I also live as magical a life as they even without talking cats or fire demons? I’d like to find out.

Something I have to remind myself about television is they aren’t going to show you every minute of every day. You don’t watch the slow days. You don’t watch them watching TV, cleaning the toilet, sitting in traffic, zoned out petting the cat, reading a book, etc. A movie would probably just, skip over that to the more exciting bits. We can’t just skip over the mundane parts of our lives and I have to keep reminding myself of that. My life isn’t boring because I don’t have it filled to the brim, with over the top excitment every single day.

I wanted to pinpoint what it was about the characters that was so captivating. What did they do that made them so lovable? The major tenants of Ghibli characters and if they could be applied to normal life. Particularly the characters from films such as Whisper of the Heart and Up on Poppy Hill, because they do not have magic in them and they operate within our real universe.

So first we have to define what makes these characters unique. One of things that all protagonists share is some kind of personal development. It may be gaining self confidence, finding your passion, being content in who you are, but there is always personal growth. Another is the characters are always moving. This is something I find more difficult not living somewhere like Tokyo or London where people walk everywhere and ride the train. I don’t walk to work, or even to the store, I drive to these places. Something a little specific to Haru in The Cat Returns, is waking up and getting up when the alarm goes off and starting the day invigorated. Haru changes this behaviour throughout the film and it is used to display her change in attitude. Another detail I notice that may or may not be intentional is that the characters all have unique quirks about them, specific things they love and for the most part, these interests are not disparaged and often they are even encouraged. Kiki likes the sea, Sophie likes flowers and hats, Shizuku likes to write.

So I complied a collection of attributes that I thought I could easily integrate into my life, and just chose one day to start living life like a Studio Ghibli character. I chose to make this is a challenge for myself. I set the challenge at 30 days, but it may take longer than a literal 30 days. I do not intend to count the days I don’t feel like I met these goals for that day, so that day would be skipped on the 30 day challenge.

1. Go outside

Since as I said, we don’t have the close train system where I live like they would have in a large bustling city and people don’t walk here like is common in Japan, I chose to make this task just simply to go outside. Breath in the fresh air. Stand in the sunlight.

2. Build my Self Confidence

This is definitely something I have and do struggle with. I really had a horrific self image when I was younger and even though I’ve come a long way, I still have work to do.

3. Be Proud of what you Love

I’m not going to hide my elephant figurines or not share something I find incredible because it may be corny or silly. If I find joy in it, I’m not ashamed of that. If you love reading, then get a book and read. Don’t be ashamed that you left the load of laundry in the dryer, you can take a few moments to yourself to do something you love.

4. Stay Occupied/Leave the TV off

This was more specific for me personally. It was a goal to leave the TV turned off as long as possible. It sometimes turns into a default to just turn it on every day because that’s easy. It fills in the gaps of time when you aren’t sure what to do. But it doesnt need to become our go to. I determined to find something else to fill the empty gaps and avoid having the TV on for hours every day.

Reminder to myself: it’s ok to let there be silence. I know the need to fill all the empty gaps with something is in part a result of my having anxiety, so its personal to myself, but I need reminded. I will often have some kind of noise to fill any empty space. If I remove one noise, I’ll fill it with another. I turn the TV off and turn on loud music, turn the music off and speak my thoughts verbally, etc. Its ok to just be in the silence. It’s ok to have a quiet moment between friends, it’s ok to not watch a show while I rock the baby, its ok to put the dishes away without music on. Enjoy the silence.

5. Have Tea Parties

Many times we see the characters enjoying a cup of tea. It is very commonplace in these movies, but not as commonplace in the world I live in. Sitting down for a calming cup of tea and regrouping for the afternoon/evening could be helpful and rejuvenating. So I decided an afternoon cup of tea was a good idea.

6. When you wake up, wake up!

This actually reminded me more of Maria in The Sound of Music when she leaves the abbey and is heading to the Von Trapp home for the first time. She sings a song called, I Have Confidence and the entire song she’s pumping herself up for the daunting task before her. One stanza sings

“Strength doesn’t lie in numbers

Strength doesn’t lie in wealth

Strength lies in nights of peaceful slumber

When you wake, wake up!

It’s healthy!”

And then few lines later she declares.

“And besides what you see, I have confidence in ME!”

7. Don’t lose your Curiosity

What each of the Studio Ghibli characters hold onto is their curiosity, they don’t stop looking for answers, they don’t give up. Find new places to explore. Find a new hobby to try. Find a new style of cooking you’ve never cooked before. Don’t let someone come along and squash your spirit, keep ahold of that magic and let that shine. Be Curious.

8. Challenge Yourself

As I’ve said, what all the characters share is a strong character development. Nobody is ever perfect, we can always be better. Set a challenge before you to achieve and go for it. A goal to knit a sweater. A goal to write a book. A goal to to learn how to tango. A goal to see a doctor about your mental health. A goal to get a pet. A goal to buy a new car. Whatever it is, challenge yourself to do and be better.

*February 2020

At day 15 now, and I’ve noticed a couple things already. Tea, is fantastic! But, I’ve always thought that. Some days, I’ll get some of these in, but not all of them. I’ll miss a stretch in the morning or my afternoon cup of tea. I think that’s ok. It takes time to build habits.

Something I added around day 4 was that in each journal entry, I’d write down something I loved about that day. Usually something simple, like I loved the way my son so intently focused on his painting. I loved the way my husband played on the playground equipment like he was still a kid. I loved the smell of fresh ground coffee. Anything at all, that I loved about that day. It has added an extra element to my challenge to even on the slower days or the days I feel in a funk to notice something good.

From a journal entry I made Day 10:

“Something I’ve noticed that’s a little annoying to me. In my quest to leave the TV off, the kids have been making more frequent messes. I cannot keep stuff off the floor. I get it picked up and they dump the bin of toys over immediately. This doesn’t usually happen, but I’ve noticed it more lately, since I stopped turning the TV on every day.”

This has been a reminder to myself, and my brain, that the mess is ok. The kids are playing together. They are exploring and imagining. It is better that they be creating their own worlds than dead pan in front of the TV. But it also meant I reinstituted an evening routine I had abandoned, to tidy up before bed.

My mental health is a big factor in why I do things, and one of the reasons I started this challenge in the first place. I would say I am in a better state of mind right now than I was a few weeks ago. Luckily during this time, the weather has started to warm up as Spring draws closer. Making a point to go outside every day has been a huge aide to my mental health. The walking and fresh air I’m sure has been good for my physical health too and to the kids, but I notice my state of mind more readily. I’ve also noticed my sleep has been more restful. I’ve had a couple bad nights I was unable to sleep, but for the most part I am tired by bedtime and ready to sleep. This is an improvement over my usual restless nights and morning headaches.

*March

When this was done, it was Spring of 2020 (in case anyone reads this in the future) during the Coronavirus Outbreak and Quarantine. Starting March 26 of 2020, we were placed under an official Stay at Home order.

At first I thought to pause my challenge wondering how I could continue when I couldn’t leave the house except to get groceries. I did for a couple weeks, until I came across an analysis of Studio Ghibli and how to see magic in everyday things and why that makes the characters so incredible. It was like someone was reading my own mind and curiosities. All the tiny pieces I was trying to find but were somehow missing fell into place. The magic doesn’t just appear, it is made, by you. Upon looking further into the culture these artists live in, I discovered that because of how they view the world, they see every moment as almost sacred, at the very least each moment is special. Even the most mundane of days or the hardest of days is precious, and this thought is woven in their films.

In the state of being quarantined my mental health was in the forefront of my mind. My anxiety began to flare up due to the circumstances. I felt helpless and lost. The factors around me were overwhelming. I wasn’t as worried over bills because my husband was still working, but I worried over how to keep him and us safe with him still going out every day. I had finally found a job right before the order was issued and so my new job was immediately put on hold. How could I continue this endeavor when I had so little control over anything? But when I noticed how Studio Ghibli views life and the precious moments within it, I chose to start the challenge again, and take notice of the magical things around me everyday. Not discrediting the darker moments, because those are not only valid emotions, but those moments are precious too because you experienced them. This is why their characters often have so much depth, because they aren’t afraid to show you their angry or sad moments alongside their happy and inspiring ones.

Focusing on a challenge, filling my day with simple tasks, looking for something I loved about the day, helped me to put my mind in a state to see the magic. But I still had to create it for myself. I started sitting outside in the mornings. Our patio faces East and the warm morning sun splashes across it every morning. The cool Spring night is broken by the warm sunlight. It’s been the perfect way to start the days. It’s still quiet then, and I can just sit and notice the birds singing or the rabbits running across the grass.

It really hit me when my wildflower seeds started to sprout. I filled with happiness and pride, and it immediately reminded me of My Neighbor Totoro when their acorns sprout with help from Totoro. Magic lies in the dirt of a flower pot on my patio.

The journal entry from Studio Ghibli Life Day ?? Quarintine day 16

“After some lunch and a short calm down/nap time, I made some bread. Michael helped with the kneading. Then we made some cupcakes. Chocolate of course.

I’ve been putting off my Studio Ghibli initiative because of the quarantine. I’ve been thinking its impossible to achieve without being able to leave the house. All the characters went out to find adventure after all. But truly, I think the point of the films and the point I was trying to realize was that the magic is where you put it. You can see magic in the sunrise if you want to. But you have to want it to be there. That’s the point. That’s the point of all of it. Making the magic be there, even in the small things.

One thing I loved about today was that my wildflowers sprouted this morning.”

At first I thought the social distancing ruined my Studio Ghibli initiative, but I’ve since realized, it forced me to recognize something deeper. Its forced me to truly grasp what Studio Ghibli means. Doing things helps, and are good. It’s good to wake up, to go outside, to challenge yourself. As I noted before, they definitely aided my mental state, but I still have some bad days. I was able to get some rest. As adults we often think of small things as “bogus” wonders and that we have to travel to some magnificent new place to be caught up in the beauty or magic of a thing. That seeing magic in a flower blooming is childish and juvenile. We as adults are also often jaded and callous, and might be curious where our childlike wonder went. It didn’t go anywhere, we just stopped looking for it because it was immature.

The start of this initiative I gave myself the challenge to get out of a funk with simple actions, that helped kickstart my mind. By the end of it though, I realized they only are the doorway to actually unlocking the magic.

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