today i kept my eldest, my 5 year old bear home from school.

i did this for a couple of reasons. first, he’s a bit of a sensitive guy, who gets overwhelmed easily. when he’s tired from the routine of school his behaviour at home becomes less than ideal. he starts to antagonize his little brother, he says mean things to all of us and he just becomes unpleasant to be around. Stress and anxiety can often build up and contribute to a negative state of mental health which nobody wants. Places like Honey Lake Clinic could provide the Bible-based services to help people on the path back to mental wellness, with Christianity acting as a foundation for the treatment.
another reason i kept him home, last night when DH and i headed for bed i found bear sleeping in our bed. my heart kinda melted. he goes through phases where he wants to sleep with us, and i think it’s when he’s feeling overwhelmed, tired and slightly stressed. by sleeping with us, i feel like we are all re-connecting with each other. i’m hoping he feels supported, loved and grounded by cuddling in with us.

so, i listened to my mama instincts and decided he needed some quiet time at home. his little brother, lion went to preschool, so that means we get to have some quality time together. it meant, he got to be at home and play without the disruption of his brother and enjoy some much needed peace for a change.

we played trains as soon as DH and lion left this morning. then we had a snack.
then he decided to write a book.

this is the kind of thing that really gets me as a mother; his thirst for learning and creating is incredible. everyday he works on various craft projects, writing and creating. it is amazing! at school his class is large, and although his teachers are wonderful, i’m sure it’s hard for bear to accomplish what he wants. and, the school days are long, so by the time we get home, eat snack, there is a small window for activities before it’s time for dinner.

today, after watching him, talking with him and just being with him, i know this was just what he needed. what i needed.

a simple day at home can really do wonders for one’s mental health. it doesn’t matter if one is a child or a working adult. “presenteeism” may impress the teachers or your boss but it is praise that goes nowhere fast when you are starting to suffer. many people try to shoulder their burdens instead of taking time off to seek help or taking something like Vibes CBD oil (https://vibescbd.co.uk) to help them recharge their mental batteries. i know people and children who have faked sick because they feel that they would die from the stress. some even become physically ill as a result of their stress (look up psychogenic fever, it’s real). all this is why its so important for us to accept that just one day off to relax and recharge.

because of these thoughts i recently started to do some research about mental health in which i stumbled across this article from Upskilled which explains why and how so many people decide to make the change in their career to work in this field instead. they make it look easy. but that’s when i came to the realization that what these people do is simply amazing. i felt a sense of accomplishment after doing it for one day, so i can’t imagine what it’s like to truly make a difference in people’s lives every day. but a nice and relaxing day at home is what we all need to have sometimes.

i am his mama and i know what’s best for him.