Building Rhythms

Just heard Sally Clarkson use this phrase in a recent podcast… “Building rhythms of expectation.”

She was using it, I believe, in the context of what we are cultivating in our homes.

It resonated with me for the following reasons:

1. Rhythms are great.

Just in the past month, when I unexpectedly had my children home with me all the time because of a long school holiday that I did not know was coming… rhythms changed my life!!! In the past, long stretches of time (weeks, I’m talking) at home with my children while Mike keeps his regular work schedule have been SO CHALLENGING for me. It’s embarrassing to admit. They’re my kids! Can’t I handle them? Can’t I cope with having them at home with me?

Ugh. Apparently not that well.

I knew the long break this year was going to be challenging. So with some input from friends, I organized a rough schedule for our days. I won’t go into details now, but let me say that this long school break was TOTALLY REDEMPTIVE for me! I enjoyed our time together so much and was truly sad to send them back to school a few days ago.

All because of a few rhythms to structure our days at home.

Halleluiah!

2. Expectations are everything.

I went through a season when I would walk a block to pick up Mister B from his nursery school a few mornings a week. I’d carry him home just after lunch, change his diaper, and INTENTIONALLY not even allow his feet to touch the floor in our home. I took him from the diaper changing table straight to his crib for his nap. Every time. And you know what? He settled into his nap easily and quickly and quietly!

These days, I haven’t been keeping that rhythm, and you know what? The boy cries basically every time I lay him down.

The difference? Expectations.

When he knows what is to come and it happens, he settles happily into this comforting rhythm. When I change it up and he doesn’t know if he’s going to have to go to bed now or later or not at all, then he gets confused and in the end, angry that he has to lay down.

SO

All that to say.

I want to build beautiful rhythms of expectations in my home for myself and my children. I believe it can make a big difference in our home life, and I’m gonna work on that! I’m not talking about legalistic structure that I become a slave to. I’m talking about life-giving patterns to help shape our days.