Make a Flower Chain

A child wearing a headband or necklace of interlocked daisies just seems to symbolize carefree summer. Although it takes a bit to get used to interlocking the flowers, children with good fine motor skills (they can tie their own shoes with ease) can learn the process. Younger children can pick the flowers. Just be warned – you probably won’t be able to work fast enough if you have more than one child waiting!

You want a flower with a stem that you can easily slit with your thumbnail. The stem should also be flexible enough to bend without it crooking into a sharp angle. The shorter the stem, the more flowers you’ll need, setting the blossoms close together.

With your thumbnail, cut a slit through the stem. Next, slide the stem of another flower through the slit. The blossom of the second flower should stop at the slit of the first flower. Continue until the piece is as long as desired. To finish off the chain and bring it into a loop, make a larger slit in the last stem and fit it over the first flower. That’s it!

Welcome Summer!

Although we look at the first day of summer with anticipation of longer, warmer, sunnier days; more time outdoors; and relaxing or stimulating vacations (and summer camp for kids) – the irony is that the Summer Solstice hails the start of shorter days.

Try this bit of sympathetic magic with your children during this season when schedules change and (perhaps) we have a bit more time. If the idea of magic brings up negative thoughts, consider this a prayer or even a following of the season’s pattern.

You and your children can each think of something in your life that makes you dissatisfied. Maybe the messy state of your child’s bedroom causes arguments. Ask your child to state a goal, “As the summer days dwindle, so does the mess in my bedroom.” Perhaps you say, “As the summer days dwindle, so do my harsh words about your bedroom.” (The two goals do not have to be related.)

Next, decide on a positive action to get this goal rolling. Now, cut that goal in half (so instead of “Clean my room for an hour,” make the statement “Clean my room for half an hour). If this goal still sounds difficult, keep cutting it in half until you laugh with how simple it will be to keep this goal. (“Clean my bedroom for sixty seconds before dinner every day.” “Eliminate my nagging to a single word reminder, ‘room’ fifteen minutes before dinner.”)

Go out into the sun and feel the energy of the sun’s rays energizing your goal. You could also write or draw a picture of the goal and then burn it on the barbecue or fire pit. Toast and eat a marshmallow cooked over the flames created from the paper listing your intent to banish something negative from your life.

Kids may find this magical way of working on a problem different enough that they manage the task. Happy First Day of Summer!