End of year intentions and the season of change.
- Emily Bagaric
- 5 days ago
- 4 min read
The Kitchen Table - the place where I connect with my passion, my work, and my community.
All amongst the calm and the chaos of family life.
It's messy, it's imperfect and it's the daily realities of meeting my needs alongside my family.
Enjoy weekly stories, musings and anedotes of raising kids in emotionally attuned ways.
Wow, December has rolled on in.
How does this happen each and every year?!?!
Im sitting here at the kitchen table, we’ve just made a gingerbread house, for the first time ever. And we’re all a little surprised it is still upright!
Christmas carols are playing whilst the boys play about with lego and colouring.
An idyllic scene it may read, but don’t be fooled there were some big feelings expressed over the past couple of days, and some messy parenting trying to hold it all.
After 2 nights away with my mum celebrating her birthday, on my return I was greeted with the biggest running hug I’ve ever had from Mr 8, it brought me to my knees and I hope it’s a moment I remember for many years to come.
But the holding that a lot of our kiddos do, to then feel safe enough to let out those big feelings is a lot. The boys had a beautifully connected weekend with their dad and the almost instant change in moods and emotional states upon my return would have rendered me undone in the past. Fuelling my own feelings of unfairness, why me, and general frustration.
But as I’ve learnt more and more about child development, attachment science and emotional attunement, I can see and hold it for what it is and not take it personally or alternatively end up in an argument with my husband.
So I continue to plan the days with pockets of time spent nourishing myself so I can be better prepared for the ebbs and flows which will continue to roll on in as the days creep nearer to the big day. It is such an epic build up, isn’t it?!
Whether overwhelm is knocking on your door, or maybe it's already sitting next to you at the table. I see you in all you are doing and navigating. The collective energy of Christmas, the countdown, extra end of year activities, gift buying and the mental load that usually falls on mothers is a lot.
It’s naturally a big time of year for children to be experiencing big feelings.
It’s also a time of transition, endings, new beginnings, and with any change comes uncertainty. As humans we can often struggle with uncertainty, and I resonate deeply with the challenges to remain grounded alongside the boys.
I love this quote from Alan Watts,
“The only way to make sense of change is to plunge into it, move with it, and join the dance."
It reminds me of when I feel wobbly and all I can do, to feel deeply rooted in the soil, yet flexible enough to move with the winds that life and parenting weave into my days.
I wonder if you would like to do this ritual with me today?
Take a hand to your heart, notice your breathing, your body, the earth beneath you.
Anything else that comes to mind as you settle down and be here in this moment.
You may close your eyes and think about how you want to feel over the coming weeks.
Really feel it; calm, connected, nourished, joyful, whatever comes up for you….
Is there a word that resonates with that feeling?
Or perhaps an intention for what you would like to bring in today?
Maybe it’s 10 minutes of presence with my child, playing or sitting down to colour in.
Maybe it’s my morning coffee without accessing my phone, outside with the sun on my face.
Maybe it’s mothering myself to bed each night this week.
Can you write it down somewhere you’ll see it over the coming days.
May it become an anchor point throughout your days and weeks to come.
And before I go to support the boys in their next big wave of emotions, I really want to take a moment to thank you from my heart to yours for being here.
I honestly do not take it for granted, in the fullness of parenting and life that you manage the time to open and read these emails, it really does mean the world to me.
I have gained so much from sharing more of my life, passions, stories (as mundane as they seem sometimes), the connections over the inter webs are never lost on me.
I hope you stay connected to yourself and your loved ones during this festive season.
I am here and available for some 1:1 support, so please reach out.
Especially if you are navigating change on the horizon in your family dynamics. It’s not easy to hold it all on your own.
Much love,
Emily x
Much love, Emily x
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