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Nutrition for the Soul and Mind
This article reprinted from the Spring/Summer 1995 issue of
The Catholic Family's Magnificat! Home Education Magazine
Copyright. All Rights Reserved
Upon reflecting on ways to combat "cabin fever," I remembered G. K. Chesterton's comment that the "most extraordinary thing in the world is an ordinary man living with a loving and ordinary woman and raising a family together."
There is the presence of the sacred in the ordinary parts of our lives, as well as in the peak events like wedding and births. In fact, our liturgy tell us this, as a greater part of the church year is composed of "ordinary" time. Just as we continue to meet Christ at Mass during those parts of the liturgical year, so can we also meet Him in the ordinary times of our lives.
Hardly any time is more ordinary than these months wherein the first blush of enthusiasm for the school year has long since faded, yet a summer break is months away. The question is - how do we redeem this time, persevere through it, and make it valuable?
Although we may not be "happy" with some particular circumstances as the months drag on, we can know the joy of obeying God in bringing up our children in the way He desires. We homeschoolers try to meet that commitment as much as is humanly possible.
Those Heroic Moments
I have heard the "the heroic moment" described as that time upon first awakening when we decide whether to get up and pray in the morning or stay snuggled under the covers a few more minutes. Yet those days when I have been "heroic" have also been the days when I have been more in communion with God, have thought of Him more often, and have tried consciously to please Him. God's mercies are new every morning, and although when I have had infants nursing round-the-clock, and I could not get up at dawn for prayers, there is such a blessing when I could meet Our Lord and experience that mercy from daybreak onward.
Praying the Morning Offering every day unites our work to Christ's because our offerings help redeem souls, and makes ordinary days extraordinary. Then we can ask, "Lord, what do you have planned for us today? How can I do Your Will? How do I grow in love for your today?" which will help give us the right perspective and zeal for upcoming events, even if the rest of the day does not go as expected.
Nutrition for the Soul and Mind
A second action is to feed our minds worthwhile ideas as consistently as we feed our bodies nutritious food. This is Charlotte Mason's great insight and perspective into providing a true education for our children, and it is equally essential for adults as well.
The mailbox often becomes a lifeline at this time as it bring materials containing stimulating ideas right to our homes, especially appreciated when we cannot leave the house for days or weeks at a time. Letters from friends are so uplifting. Homeschooling and spiritual newsletters and magazines (like Magnificat!) serve to keep up interest and enthusiasm during those difficult times. Books, especially biographies of the saints, are a great defense against any tendency to self-pity as they present ideas on how others have overcome everyday struggles and carried their crosses. Tapes of pro-family or homeschooling conferences or Catholic studies are another treat that can come through the mail and keep our minds engaged. Listening to them sure makes the time spent folding mountains of laundry more enjoyable!
Reading books together with dad in the evening is an enjoyable activity that uplifts and nourishes everyone's minds. This is such a nice way to spend time with each other. Series like The Little House books or The Chronicles of Narnia are especially good choices for their appeal to a broad range of ages. Series also provide the added benefits of building familiarity and allows practice in sustaining attention and concentration on characters as they are followed from one book to another. Narrative poems are great for family reading, too, such as "Paul Revere's Ride" and "Casey at the Bat." We spent one enjoyable evening have each of my girls act out the latter poem.
Exercise is another way to battle cabin fever. I have found exercise videos palatable enough to use, because I can stay at home and choose the best time for our family. Another advantage is that special equipment is not generally needed. The children can join in, too, which develops good habits in them and also burns off some pent-up energy. Strangely enough, this is one activity in which I can always rely on my husband to watch an infant!
An occasional break in routine is a good antidote to the doldrums. yKeeping