Our rhythm has saved my life. Rhythm feels good and secure and helps take a lot of stress off my shoulders. It feels like a long time ago, when the kiddo was born, a natural rhythm came about as it does with a newborn, with waking, eating, sleeping, and diapers! Now it has morphed into a toddler or kiddo rhythm, which includes more outside time, chores, snacking, playing with friends, library time, and other adventures. We have set days for shopping, for baking, for going to the farmer’s market in the summer. We all feel so comfortable in the routine we have developed and it is something we hope to continue and expand to other parts of our lives, not just the kiddo’s life. When things are expected and set, then there is less discussion and conflict, maybe even fewer outbursts because ingrained expectations are developing for all of us. There are fewer tantrums (maybe) because we know that after eating breakfast we will do the kitchen cleanup and then get dressed for the day.
The rhythm idea has come out of our family’s slow and simple way of moving around our land and Waldorf Early Childhood philosophy. The development of the whole child is supported by rhythm, reverence, and ritual in the classroom, or in the home, through a daily routine, weekly, and seasonal rhythms. Building our family rhythm for the day, week, month, and year made sense to us and also gently gives us a structure.
The best and seemingly natural results seem to come when we started where we were. “Simply, begin where you are” is something I remember all of my yoga instructors saying in class and it comes to my mind now as I attempt to add more to our rhythm in the way of organizing more of the housekeeping and daily life. As we add more into our lives and homestead (like chickens, gardening, babies, bees, creation of this blog) the chaos can feel overwhelming, rather than an adventure unfolding. So I turn to control and organize and manage. Organization will continue to save us.
Our new rhythm for cleaning is:
Every day chores
- dishes
- cooking
- walking the dog
- chickens
- laundry
- plants
Monday
- living room
- dust
- sweep
- vacuum
- organize/put away
Tuesday/ Library day
- bathroom
- sink
- tub
- toilet
- mirror
- sweep/mop
Wednesday
- bedrooms
- sheets
- dust
- sweep
- organize/put away
Thursday
- kitchen
- sink
- appliances
- fridge clean
- sweep
- mop
Friday/ Baking Day
- meal planning
- grocery shopping
Saturday/ Market Day
- clean cars
Sunday
- yard/outside/basement
- sweep
- trash
We already look cleaner and more organized! We used to scramble when guests came over, spending the whole morning picking up and deep cleaning with ferocity. Or, the tumbleweeds would roll around as the kiddo played and I would have my own version of a temper tantrum, sweeping angrily around the room. This template and beginning guideline for a weekly rhythm for cleaning already feels like less stress and pressure, and can be modified to anyone’s personal or family schedule. It was easy for me to start with days of the week and room assignments and then factor in when we are busy with storytime at the library or when I cook a lot for the week. Start wherever you are and add on accordingly!
Ferrin Brook Farm 