Rhythm of Our Day

(I'm sharing some old pics, as my camera batteries died)

I was never a parent who wanted to "schedule". I soon learned, when Michael was a baby, it wouldn't be in his best interest anyway. Sometimes he would nurse less, other times much more and I found that when he nursed more it coincided with a growth spurt. I also found that my body would adapt to his needs. Scheduling his nursing would have been counterproductive and maybe even harmful. So when a friend suggested recently that I put Michael on a "schedule" my whole being moaned, groaned and protested. The word schedule sounds like imposing an arbitrary and inflexible system on a child. It sounds like a fight, a struggle.

Now, Waldorf's word "rhythm" breathes with flexibility. I feel a sense of relief and freedom in that word. This makes sense because the natural world is so much about rhythm. The rhythm of our breathing, the seasons and the phases of the moon, the rhythm of menstrual cycles. Nature is nothing if not flexible though still consistent in its cycles and for lack of a better word, rhythmic.

In Waldorf, rhythm, is all important. The way Rahima Baldwin describes rhythm in her book "You are your Child's First Teacher", ( which I seem to be cheer leading lately) is that it "holds" a child within their day. I find that visual so beautiful. Ritual is a big part of cultivating rhythm. Michael has responded with so much enthusiasm to the few rituals we've put in place. What surprises me is how much I love the rhythm we've created for ourselves. It grounds us and connects us with our day, with one another and with the cycles & rhythms of life itself.

When I think back to when Michael was a baby, I remember that he naturally found his own rhythm. A cycle of nursing, sleeping and alert time that was consistent yet fluid. I want to strive for consistency in our daily rhythm but also remain flexible. A balance that is easier to strike than I had anticipated. I find that if I deviate, Michael quickly reminds me and gets us back on track. It's the timing of our rhythm that can vary without our noticing much.

We are still learning about Waldorf and so our daily rhythm will change as we learn and discover more of what works for us. I'm going about this transition fairly slowly to ease into a new way of life, more so for my benefit than for his. So, at this time I'm focusing on having regular mealtime rituals. As well as focusing on a bed time ritual. I'll post more later on our developing rhythm but at this time I'll share our mealtime ritual.


We eat breakfast as soon as we wake up between 6:30-7:30am. (this is where I am flexible with timing). Michael and I sit together at the table, we light our mealtime candle, Michael gets to blow out the match and then we say our mealtime blessing. (I can't remember where I found this now, it may have been at Waldorf Mama.)

Earth who give
to us this food.
Sun who makes
It ripe & good.

Dear Earth, Dear Sun,
By you we live.
Our loving thanks,
to you we give.

Blessing on our meal.
Our family,
our friends,
and our world.

Michael is learning the blessing and often says it softly & tentatively with me. If I forget the mealtime blessing he reminds me. After our meal, Michael or both of us will blow out the candle together. We do this at lunch and dinner as well and I try to keep the mealtimes consistent. Yet, when I can't, I don't stress about it.

It's amazing how much lighting a candle and saying a blessing bring reverence and a bit of sacredness to that time together. I'm seeing the chaos and undesirable behaviors melt away with every Waldorf principal we embrace. It's been a joyful journey!

Here is an article that talks more about rhythm.