Michaelmas Preparations

So, today is Michaelmas, and we are celebrating.  :)

We have been planning a bit more this year - helped by the flow of our days which means we have time for stories and songs every day and an actual list of planned stories and songs to keep me on track.  Last year we made dragon bread (on the day) alongside the story from All Year Round, and we had a dragon candle, but that was about it.

Here's one of my favorite new finds, the story of Li Chi in which the female protagonist is the dragon-slayer.  We have been talking about dragons as the things in us that we wish to put to death, my example being that I am working on my tendancy to panic when things go wrong.  My plan to get rid of my dragons is to breathe deep and sit calm for a minute before I made a decision, and to say some of those verses and affirmations that encourage me that all is not lost when my plans fall apart.

Jenna has said that she thinks her dragon is the dragon that makes up stories and doesn't let her tell the truth.  *heart*  Just once or twice recently we have known what has happened, and without accusing or blaming we have told her that we know and asked her to help put things right.  We tell her that we know she wants to change things when she tells us it wasn't her, or that there isn't a mess (!) but that we often need the truth the way things REALLY are not the way she WISHES they were.  She is right in that words-as-magic stage, and she is starting to understand that stories have their place but they can damage relationships if people don't know what is true and trustworthy.  So she is praying for help to be truthful in her relationships, and to find strength and wisdom to know the right time and place for total honesty.  Six seems so very grown up sometimes.

A big thing for me, as she wrestles with ideas of character and trust and how people relate to each other, is to not keep getting involved.  It's a challenge, especially when she borders on self-criticism, not to rush in and add my words, correct her feelings, comfort her when she does not want or need comfort.  I am seeing the wisdom in giving lots of positive role models, stories, and ideas, but letting her puzzle through her own feelings without giving her my adult views all the time.

Anyhow, yes, Michaelmas.  Martin and I spent an hour (on Monday night) warming pieces of beeswax - lovely for little hands but goodness it needs a lot or working on before it can be played with!  The girls made dragons yesterday during project time.

Also yesterday we all worked on a papier mache lantern for the table.  Clearing the table is a task in itself, but I'm willing to forget that for now.  ;)  Ah well, one more festival in the living room with candles all around...  Dining table = task for another day (our work for today involves doing a wardrobe census, which while not very festive is entirely necessary)!

 

And this morning the girls came down to find that we'd done this last night, a little Michaelmas scene as a focus for today.  :)  

Candle closeup, yes I am pretty proud of the dragon!

Here is the papier mache lantern, lit for breakfast time.

 

Later it will be time for dragon bread and stories.  Adding little layers to our festivals each year, baby steps to a full enriching seasonal round.  Enjoy your day everyone!  xxx