Adding Rhythms to Your Life

Imagine this scene: You spent two hours getting ready to go to the symphony. You are dressed impeccably, and the usher shows you to your seat in the front row. You can’t wait for the music to begin. They are playing selections from your favorite composer: Mozart. Just as the lights dim, you notice that a flutist is out of place. She’s sitting next to a French horn player. What is happening? Then you notice more members who are not in their respective sections. A bassoonist is next to the harp. The violins are scattered across the stage and the percussion section is amiss as well. The conductor walks up and everyone begins the first piece. All the sections begin at once and your ears are assaulted by not only not being able to hear distinct parts of the piece, but by the complete lack of rhythm. No one is playing in harmony and it is a complete lack of respect for a piece by your favorite composer.

Ok join me back in reality now! I would not want to go to a symphony like that, would you? The beauty of music is that it has rhythmic qualities. It is organized and in tune. It is planned and there has been practice. Would you like to go to a day that is this disorganized? What if you were stuck in that scene for a week or heaven forbid for a year.

One of the most intentional things I’ve done this school year is creating a weekly rhythm for our school and home life. Rhythm surrounds us in daily life. The seasons speak to this, the phases of the moon, the ebb and flow of ocean tides, the way our heart keeps steadily beating, and the breath in our lungs. When you attune your eyes and ear to nature you will begin to see just how rhythmic it is. When my first daffodils come up, I know that without fail a winter storm will come (happens every year since I started watching). You start to see things in seasonal nature that give clues to the time of the year and things to come.

Learning that there is a time for all things is such a valuable lesson in life. Ecclesiastes 3 says it so poetically, “There is a season (a time appointed) for everything and a time for every delight and event or purpose under heaven” (AMP). And in the life of a child, there’s times to play and be free, times to eat and be nourished, times to learn, and times to rest. I love the stability that a regular lifestyle instills and how it can help turn a child’s life into a series of events by which they not only participate, but come to expect and gain a sense of security from.

One thing I’ve noticed about my children is that they crave structure. They love following a routine and having daily/weekly things that they can expect to happen. That’s not to say that our household is rigid and planned to the minute. Very much the opposite! I’ve created a flow with enough similarities to the day to add security but also room for creativity and change in our plans. I’ve added verses and rhymes that we sing when we wake up, when we sit to breakfast, etc. that help create transitions. My children know that when they wake up, there’s the good morning song and we read books on the couch. It’s one of our daily rhythms.

It’s taken me most of this school year to fill in our weekly activity rhythm chart. Mainly, because I wanted to thoughtfully place things. For most of the year I only had Saturday as family day and Sunday as rest. I now have the week filled in with daily special activities that I think helps to create a pattern in the chaos of having so many things to do in daily life. We do certain activities on certain days and it adds stability to our family life. Just the other day it warmed my heart when my oldest asked when it was “baking” day! They pick up on things so easily.

Something I’m also exploring this year is rhythm for me as an adult. I’ve thought about creating markers in my week where I rhythmically do things on a certain day. I started with chores by assigning laundry a certain day, bathrooms another, etc. But I’m working on adding more life giving things as well. Such as poetry on Tuesday, a park walk on Thursdays, journaling on Friday, etc. It can be a fun way to institute a deeper meaning into your daily life! Adults need that sense of security just as children do.

Interested in reading more about adding rhythm to your daily routine and weekly life? I follow a lot of Waldorf ideas on rhythm that you can see in my weekly rhythm chart. Monday is purple day, Tuesday red day, and so on and so forth as you can see in the picture. The colors of the day help children understand the day, “Today is yellow day and we are going to watercolor as our special activitiy. We watercolor every Wednesday.” There’s so much to say on this topic but alas, this is only a blog and not a chapter book so I will say no more but here is one resource I’ve found that’s a great starting place. Also, I’m sure the internet abounds with ideas. But I’ll leave that up to you!

You are Your Child’s First Teacher by Rahima Baldwin Dancy (Chapter 11 is entitled “Rhythm & Discipline in Home Life”)