We need not look far to understand that our Creator has given natural rhythms and cycles to the earth, the heavens, the seas, and all creatures upon the earth. While the earth itself is spinning and orbiting in predictable and calculable ways, we also experience hourly, daily, weekly, monthly, seasonal, and lifetime cycles. Our own bodies, for example, have a continual and beautiful rhythm in our breathing and heartbeat; we rarely give thought to it, but it is absolutely vital to our well-being. One of the best things parents for ourselves and our children is to understand and become more aware of the rhythms and cycles in our family life. By forming predictable patterns and rhythms that are custom-fit for our family as a whole and for each individual, we help our children feel secure and give them a healthy sense of general predictability. When we plant a garden each spring, or bake a cake for each birthday, we are creating rhythms upon which our family can depend. Our mind, our body, and our emotional and spiritual states have need for rhythm and healthy cycles of activity and rest/recovery. When we understand the importance of healthy rhythms, we can better understand how to create and establish rhythms and cycles for the family in ways that will support a state of greater health and happiness.
