The Ocean, Buddha and Nummies

by Amy Wright Glenn

Amy Wright Glenn's oceanI stand in the ocean. The water is warm, placid, and crystal clear. Little translucent fish swim around my legs. I hold my 22-month old son Taber in my arms. He rests his head on my shoulder.

My husband puts his goggles on to check out a nearby Needlefish. It’s our family morning time at the beach. Having recently moved to south Florida, we are amazed by the world-renowned beauty found a mile away from our doorstep.

My son pulls my blue swimsuit to the side and begins to nurse. I stand tall, gaze at the surrounding beauty, and breathe in the powerful peace moving through my soul. I etch this tender mercy into my heart’s collection of memories. This moment is so primal, so right, and so beautiful.

I stand in the ocean’s magical waters and breastfeed under the sun. […]

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Toddler Time at the Nature Center

by Amy Wright Glenn

nature centerIn 1916, the wild Cypress Creek wetlands of Coconut Creek, Florida were drained. This morning, I drive to Fern Forest Nature Center to visit the 247 acres of what remains. I want my 22-month-old son and to see our south Florida homeland untouched by housing developments, strip malls, and busy roadways.

I park and help my little one out of the car seat.  He wants to bring his “truck book” along. So, I tuck it in my backpack knowing that soon he’ll be mesmerized by tall trees, spider webs, and fish swimming in streams. It’s true. As soon as we begin walking in the woods, a calm energy surrounds us. He goes at a slow pace, soaking it all in. […]

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Working Hard to Stay at Home

by Amy Wright Glenn

Taber and Mama 2I wish I had known how much I would love being a mother.

How could I have anticipated the depth of this love?

My heart opens with wonder when I watch my two-year-old son lift his arms, snap his fingers, and sway to music. Any music. We could be in the check out line at Walgreens and if he hears music, he lifts his arms in praise.

Oh, the world is good to him. Despite the little, blue bruise on his forehead from a sad encounter with the edge of an antique bureau, it’s a loving world overall. I am forever grateful for the opportunity to be a gentle and consistent source of kindness as he learns to speak, share, swim, and jump. May he internalize my love and bring it forth as an inner light in days to come, days when I am no longer by his side to wipe away the tears of sad encounters. […]

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What is a Tantrum?

by Amy Wright Glenn

 

Photo courtesy of www.motherhoodwtf.com Photo courtesy of www.motherhoodwtf.com

According to the National Association of School Psychologists, a tantrum occurs when a young child, usually between the ages of 1-1/2 to 4, experiences a mixture of anger and sadness to the point where he or she looses control.

A child doesn’t consciously choose to have a tantrum. A tantrum is an overwhelming expression of feeling that is frightening for a child to experience. It’s also hard to watch as a parent.

In 2011, two researchers at the University of Minnesota collected a large amount of data on tantrums. “We have the most quantitative theory on tantrums that has ever been developed in the history of humankind,” remarked Professor Michael Potegal in a National Public Radio interview. […]

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Giving Birth to Life and Death

by Amy Wright Glenn

My 18-month-old son blissfully naps and I decide to catch up on some emails. I look at my inbox and notice a request for advice. I open the email, curious. After reading the first sentence, I take a deep breath.

“I experienced my first stillborn birth as a doula. I am so confused.”

The new doula in question had witnessed one of life’s most painful experiences– the birth of a lifeless infant. […]

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When He Naps

by Amy Wright Glenn

sleeping-child-14919444When he naps, I meditate.

I nurse him down to sleep. Milk and song mingle together and soon his breath moves into the rhythms of dreamland.

We breathe together as a calm, holy, wonder moves through the house. Toys are still. Dishes are done and the leaves outside dance in the wind. I stay home with this boy and offer my light to him. I know that this is sacred work. […]

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