It is my sense that a magical nature has to be nurtured in the land of "Absolute Normal", were the whole idea in our western society is to fit in at all costs. We are all different and extraordinary in our own way but Facebook and the rest of media all keep pointing our children into a homogenized mass of extremely boring of same sameness and real realness.
Special Note: BE THE MENTOR OF MAGIC!!
Here are some of the things I've done to help to keep the magic alive in my little one:
1). When my little girl was ...little I wrote in a diary before she was born and long after that, writing about all the amazing things that happened around the time during her 9 month journey into this world and then at child birth. After she came into this world I continued making entry's in her book.
Children do and say the most amazing other world things, magical things, unexplainable things and I would record them and just when they are 16, 17 18 or 19 or when they entered teenage denial I presented the book to my daughter. It was my hope that the "Book of Them", "The Book of Her Magic" would re-kindle there magic inside of themselves. (You can forget your magic and deny it ever happened until you have it in a book, in ink, in an old school tangible way.
When she was little I noticed my farther had a hard time communicating with my little girl so I suggested he write her post cards. That way she'd get mail which she absolutely loved. The other thing I did was keep them and glued them into her book. Along with pictures of her Mommy with a picture of her 9 months pregnant. And other things and items that meant so much to her. It became a everything memory magic book, of her.
I didn't pick up and empty blank book, I picked up one with a guy walking a tight rope off a cliff but with no end to the wire. One end at the edge of the cliff and the other in the fellow's hand as he walked out into nothingness.
2). I'd go down to the beach and lift up all the big rocks under and there be a 20 or 30 little crabs that would scurry away. You should have seen her eyes. We'd do that for hours. It was great fun for the both of us.
3). She was painfully shy so I would bring shovels to the beach and in the sandy low tide area I would dig a deep hole and create a castle around it, and of course the hole would collect all the water run off and in the warm summer sun...she'd have her own pool. The great thing for me was it was a way to attract other children to her but what I didn't count on is that she didn't want anyone else in her magical pond. LOL!! Oh well so much for great ideas. (They don't always work but never stop trying.)
4). We would have fires outside of our house and stack the wood up like a tower (I'd put fire starter in the center, without telling anyone so it would just light at the first match.) And we would spend the whole day collecting flowers and colorful things to add to it, making the whole experience more. Sometimes we'd write letters to Great Grandmothers and farthers that had past, or uncles, or anuties or friends even...and place those in the fire for them. Then we'd all wait for twilight (that's always the best time) and light the fire. Wow this is an amazing beautiful event. The fire the flower all together was just spectacular. Then when the fire was roaring, we'd get hand fulls of cinnamon (we'd purchased at the bulk food store in the city) and make a wish and then all together throw the cinnamon wish into the flame. Then when the cinnamon hit the flames...BOOF!! Little amazing sparks would float up to the sky.
5). Camping out in your back yard is also something kids never forget. Oh and bring sparklers...not one or two but many, big and small.
6). Creating a tree fort for them with a roof and if you can't build one outside cause you live in the city. Make one outta blankets and upside down chair in the living room and if you can leave it for a day or so. If they have a little friend over make cookies and let them eat them inside there magical blanket castle.
7). A tire swing is always a favorite...maybe even that swings over a pond.
8).In the Fall rake a whole huge pile of leaves (higher then them) and let them play in it but before you go make sure you pile it up again and you run and jump and belly flop into, or dive into the pile of leaves like a kid. They love that cause seldom are adults children. You'll probably love it too...its a blast!!!
9). Go sledging or if you're from Canada go tobogganing and if you go down alone (mostly go with your kids) wipe out on purpose and laugh when you come out covered in snow!
10). Make cookies together and lick the bowl. Or Make bread together, I remember my daughters Papa made bread with her, it was so magical. I still have pictures of her with her Papa and she was enthralled.
11). Make Sushi together. (I know this is not easy for most folks but if you can't do it make any dish for dinner together, its a great memory for you and your kid)
12). Buy or Borrow a telescope and look at the moon.when its full..oh and bring hot chocolate in a thermos and don't forget the marshmellow's.
13). Try to answer as many WHY's as possible. Don't stop just keep doing it. They idolize you, meet the challenge and try to live up to there expectations and if you don't, not to worry they'll love you for trying.
14). I took my little girl to a special beach near us that always had tons of blue glass and she'd love to find it. Hours and hours of spontaneous magic. What my little girl and her friends didn't know is that I was breaking all the blue glass at low tide in the winter and putting it under the big rocks so when the big storms hit it would wash to shore with all the edges smooth and soft before it hit the shore in the summer. The best part of this is to listen to where they think it came from....sunken pirate ships, from the coasts of Japan 1000kms away. Help them figure it out...make up ideas of your own.
15) Whenever my little girl asked a nature question I'd say this: Daddy whats this called? She was holding a leaf. I'd answer: In this world we call that a leaf, what did you call it in the world you were from before you came here?
16) Another great question to ask: What big person where you before you came here to be with Mommy and Daddy, or Mommy, or Daddy or Aunty, or Grandma? My little one answer: No Daddy I wasn't a big person, I was an eagle.
17). Watch Movies together ie: The Last Air Bender (great animation), or if older Harry Potter Movies or A beautifully realized tale of civilization versus nature, PRINCESS MONONOKE is a true epic by Japan's master animator Hayao Miyazaki. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4OiMOHRDs14
18). Do art together without judgement, just with joy. I put together a showing for our local Art Crawl and asked my daughter if she's like to exhibit her work and she said Yes! And she sold 2 pieces...although that was not the focused out come but still it was very cool.
19) I got her involved in a show I was doing. I was helping out performing with the Nutcracker here were i live. My daughter and I performed together... it was an unforgettable moment for me and I suspect from her. She was so influenced by the event she started dancing fulltime with a school here on the coast. Now she is taking dancing lessons and winning awards (again that's not the focus but still very cool) and is training to become a dance teacher.
20). I really do alot of work making up an incredible stocking for Christmas, it always ends up being eye popping for her. I just love it!
More to come.
Duende Naddred (c) 2020
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