- Hanging out at the park. This has been one of my favourite things to do with Miya ever since she was just weeks old. I truly believe in the restorative properties of being in nature and while a hike in the Gatineaus or extended camping trip would be wonderful, what is most practical and accessible for us is frequent visits to local parks.I love sitting on the grass or a bench under the shade of a tree, watching Miya explore her world. Our neighbourhood park is as familiar to her as her backyard, so she moves it around it with the same confidence she does at home. She’ll play by herself in the sand, run around the grass, climb on the play structure... I sit and watch, sometimes joining in her play but mostly just letting her do as she’d like, at her own pace. I’ll chat with other parents or care-givers, or just breathe deeply and relax.
- Visiting the seniors. I’ve written about Miya’s volunteering with the seniors a few times before, but I can’t help mentioning it again. Watching her with them is fascinating, humbling and heart-warming. Her mood may vary – shy and quiet (like today) or active and out-going, but she never fails to interact with the seniors and bring them joy. I love watching her respond to people, young and old and appreciate how she responds differently to different individuals; she is too young to feel the obligations of social pressure to treat everyone alike.- Reading. Miya is going through a stage where she will latch onto one or two books at a time and want these to be read repeatedly, for days on end. While I admit this can get a bit boring as I know each line by heart, it is still pretty amazing to watch her mind develop and see how she interacts with books. I will change words just to make her correct me, pause so she will fill in the blank – lots of way to have fun.
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