Operation Barefoot Five

There are five in my family now. I still don’t quite have that down. My youngest was born seven months ago, and still, at times, I have to correct myself when I remember we are four no more. Things are busy, with a baby, one child in pre-school, and one in second grade. Amid all the hectic running around that is life in the year 2013, I try to make a point to occasionally slow down. If you don’t, you miss things that matter. Reading is one of the things that matter. Time with our children matters.

This blog will be a place where I plan to share information on early literacy, the joy of reading, Barefoot Books reviews and product highlights, and, occasionally, thoughts on the topic of Living Barefoot. More on that in a bit.

I decided the join Barefoot Books because 1) their books are beautiful; they speak to my soul and to my inner little girl, 2) they are a fun, green-minded company that supports values I appreciate, like global citizenship and caring for the Earth, and 3) they have this idea that captivates me: Living Barefoot.

What image forms in your mind when you hear the words Live Barefoot?

I picture bare toes dug into sand, waves lapping to and fro. A salty tang in the air.

I picture a little boy skipping stones into the glassy river.

I picture a young girl running through a meadow awash with purple coneflower. Her hair lifts in the warm wind. She spins, her face alight with joy.

I think of tire swings. Tree forts. Splashing in puddles.

Joy. Freedom. An untethered spirit.

I want myself, and my family o’ five, to try and Live Barefoot more often. What does that mean to me? It means I want to remember to:

1) Be present in the moment, this one right here and now

2) Say “yes” more often, even when it’s easier to say “no”

3) Take time to connect with nature

4) Be joyful

So that’s the goal. I know life will get in the way. Some days my patience will wear paper thin with my littles. Some days I will find myself shouting despite my best intentions. Some days I will be too tired after a half-dozen wake-ups in the night with the baby to take the whole gang to the park or go for the long walk we all need. But at least I’ll try and, more often than not, I plan to succeed. To cast off my shoes and Live Barefoot.

Do you make it a point to slow down daily and take note of the beauty around you? To watch the leaves as they saunter to the ground this fall? How do you reconnect with your childlike wonder? With nature? What are your favorite ways of Living Barefoot?

And so it begins: Operation Barefoot Five.