Plan to make time tomorrow morning to wake early and “collect” your children before you start the day. When they wake, take ten minutes to put them on your lap, hold them, and play and joke until their eyes are engaged and the smiles are forthcoming. But before heading off to hold them, hold yourself for just a moment too and appreciate your own efforts.
Babies are delicious to collect and hold and a Moby Wrap can provide additional support, freedom and closeness.
Today is a Giveaway Day! In the comment section below, give us examples of the many ways you enjoy collecting and holding your children and you’ll be eligible to win a Moby Wrap. Keep it for yourself, give it as a gift, donate it to your API group sling library or another community organization that serves parents and encourages babywearing and nurturing touch.
Pass this message to your friends so that everyone can participate. Comments received by midnight are eligible for the drawing.
{ 12 comments… read them below or add one }
I’ve started climbing into my oldest’s bed before she wakes up, she really likes that I wake her by snuggling 🙂 when her alarm goes off she is already awake and ready to start her day. While she starts getting ready I do the same with my toddler, I love how he tells me stories in the morning. I have no clue what he’s saying, but I don’t care!
I rock my 18 month old daughter to sleep. She’s very tall for her age, and she barely fits on my lap these days. But we sit, snuggle, and curl around each other…it’s my favorite part of the day.
Group snuggles in bed are the best way to start the day! Two out of three of my kids take after me and are NOT morning people, so a morning cuddle is the only way we can start our day off on the right foot without the grumpies. I also love to wear my preschooler on my back while I’m making the big kids breakfast — it helps her ease into the day and I still have my hands free.
I love holding children when they’re sleepy or asleep. That seems to be when they’re most cuddly. When they’re upset and holding them calms them, that is another one of the sweetest times.
Sometimes when we finish nursing, I hold my son in my lap and sing “head, shoulders, knees, and toes” while doing the motions on him. The more I vary the tempo, the more he gets into it! I like it too because it gives me a little more cuddle time before he slides off and runs to a new activity.
When my daughter (almost 2) and I are both getting frustrated and emotional (sometimes at each other), I like to give her a nice long hug to calm us both down.
Wearing my babes has always been a favorite past time. It makes my life easier and makes them (and me) happy! Snuggling in bed is also one our most precious family times to connect. We collect each other and align ourselves with each other’s spirit.
hi, almost daily people ask how often i work out…my answer, i don’t work out at all, i carry/hold my daughter! i love holding her and feeling the closeness and it provides a workout, too!
I hold my children every morning when they hop into bed with me to snuggle–one on each arm. At night, I also snuggle them to sleep and it is a wonderful time of reconnection for all of us (even though they are seven and four, I still sniff their heads every night just like I did when they were babies 🙂
Our family loves touch. Each morning, either my husband or I (and sometimes both), wake our daughter up with gentle touch, hugs and kisses before changing her diaper. Every day is filled with holding each other – dancing together, reading a book with her in our laps, congratulatory hugs and kisses, tickle games, encouraging or soothing hugs and kisses, and hugs and kisses just because. If she wanders further than we’d like, we might play a brief game of “chase” or squat down and call her over with our arms open wide, so she can run in for a big bear hug. One of her favorite games is to be held and spun around in a circle. Sometimes we let her legs fly out, and sometimes we hold her sideways for more cuddles. I used to wear her in church all the time, so I’d have my hands free to follow the service and hold my music when I sang in the choir. Now she can walk and prefers to have the freedom to move around, so she mostly gets worn when we go for longer walks. At the end of every day, our bedtime routine includes cuddles in the glider with books and/or songs to wind down for peaceful sleep.
Wow! I have been doing this since my son was only months old, and now he is almost 4. If by chance I am in the kitchen making coffee when he wakes up, I immediately stop what I am doing, scoop him in my arms and we “hug” until he wakes up all the way. I treasure this time of the day!
Even though my 5 year old daughter has her own bed in her own room, she has never slept in it! She snuggled with me and my husband until she is sleepy and then gets in her other bed, which is right next to ours. (only because space has become an issue as I’m about to have another baby girl). People ask me when I am going to make her sleep in her own room and I tell them I’m not! I know one day she will want to and I will miss watching her sleep. It’s also so sweet in the morning when she wakes up, she smuggles up next to me and tells me about her dreams.