Rainy Thursdays....

...Are perfect days for bus rides to the museum, butterfly explorations with friends, and hands-on experiments.

...And Fridays are perfect days for giveaways! I'll be giving away copies (yes, that's plural!) of one of our favorite books, The Seven Silly Eaters, by Mary Ann Hoberman, so leave a comment here or in last Friday's giveaway post, and check back tomorrow to see if you win!

City Therapy

My mothering rhythm was a bit off recently. I couldn't pinpoint exactly why, but whiny preschoolers, nap-resistant toddlers, and mobile infants conspired to make me more short-tempered, less energetic, less creative, and more overloaded by my daily mothering tasks. This is not a very pleasant feeling, as I'm sure many of you can relate, and I wanted badly to unslump myself.

I thought at first that maybe I needed some "me" time, personal time away from the kids. But then it struck me: I don't need less time with my kids, I need more time with them. But I need more time with them away from the dirty dishes, nutritious meals, and mounds of laundry that can sometimes distract and deflate me.

So I decided to mix things up a bit today. I canceled a playdate and the three kids and I set out on a city adventure. I wanted us to do something different and energizing. I wanted to forego our usual city sights and instead explore a new spot that could help us-- help me--reconnect and rejuvenate.

We began by taking an early walk to one of our favorite nearby breakfast spots, and then hopped on the subway to the brand new Esplanade Playspace along the Charles River. We played at the park, lounged on our picnic blanket for awhile, read some books, had some snacks, and soaked in the sunshine and warm fall air together.

Back home in Harvard Square, we were tired but entirely refreshed.

Days like today remind me that when I get in a rut, I need to switch things up a bit. Instead of escaping from the kids, I need to find new ways to connect with them, away from my daily mothering duties, away from other playmates, away from our usual city spots. I need more time to soak them in, savor them, and gaze more closely at those familiar, precious faces that I love so deeply.

Weekly Mothering Challenge: Simplify Playspaces

I hate clutter. Luckily, living in a city condo provides the motivation to keep our space as clutter-free as possible, but still toys and objects can sometimes accumulate and invade our limited space.

As birthdays and holidays near, I thought now was a good time to do a major de-cluttering of our playspaces. I am drawn to the idea of "less is more" for kids--and adults too. With too many toys, it seems kids can get easily overloaded and not have the freedom to play more fully and creatively with the toys they have. So yesterday, I packed up four trash bags worth of toys to donate, and retained the high-quality, often-used, multi-purpose toys that are now more prominently displayed and easily accessible.

There is still more simplifying and streamlining to be done this week. I love reading stories of "radical minimalists," like those who live with only 100 total possessions. I don't aspire to be that radical, but I do think the idea of living with fewer, more valued possessions makes a lot of sense--both to create a calmer, more creative home and also to maximize small city spaces. In addition to the toys that are already bagged and ready to donate, I think I can probably fill at least two or three additional bags with toys or items that we could stow away in the basement and see how much we miss them.

Join me this week to simplify our playspaces! I'd love to hear your tips on de-cluttering and any results you discover from a simpler space.