I was browsing Barnes & Noble for a specific parenting book when I saw this one, liked the illustration on the front, and flipped through it to see if it was worth it's weight in salt.
After reading the Table of Contents and skimming through a handful of pages I knew this book wasn't just another generic rehash of all the stuff we've all heard on all our favorite mommy blogs.
The premise of The Book of New Family Traditions is how fundamental rituals are to a healthy family life. It shares plenty of traditional rituals but also makes a case for how much room there is to create rituals to fit your family's needs and style. Meg Cox, the author, writes how rituals can be as big as the yearly family New Year's dance party or as small as the song you always sing at bedtime.
One of my favorite sections was the Rites of Passage rituals. Many of them are for kids heading into their mature years but I love how much value is put on these transitions. The Sparklers in the Sand ritual mentioned above stuck out to me the most and not only gave me goosebumps for when I can share that moment with Ruby but got me thinking about all of the milestones ahead for both of our kids.
I regularly have to remind myself of the saying 'The days are long but the years are short' when I feel like we're all just running on the hamster wheel trying to make it to bedtime without coming untied. Reading books such as this one help shift my focus from just surviving to making the most of these years with a young family. Sometimes all I need is a new perspective, some encouragement through other mama's stories, and a few tools to feel like I can implement some changes that are lasting.
I took notes as I went through each chapter for reference when I felt like something might fit into our lives easily. I'm sure we won't start up with too many new rituals all at once but I am looking forward to seeing how some of these little changes will affect our family life.
I could probably check this book out at the library but I knew it'd be a great resource to have at home on those long afternoons when I need a little reminder to place value on the little things - as repetitive or as dull as they feel - for they are really the big, lasting things.
I give this book two chipped nail polish thumbs up. You can find it at your local bookstore, library, or here. What are some of your favorite resources for enriching your family life?
-Rachel
p.s. This is not a sponsored post.
