Life is Like a Jigsaw Puzzle
Photo Credit: Marco Verch, Flickr, puzzle pieces in disorder
I was working on a puzzle this week......and it dawned on me that putting a jigsaw puzzle together is a lot like parenting.
When I work on a puzzle I usually start with a concrete set of steps: finding the corners, gathering the edge pieces, sorting pieces by colour. It's a fairly systematic and structured approach, and it's a great way to get started.
Eventually, however, this approach doesn't work as well and I find I take a figurative step back, and take a big picture approach. I let intuition guide me about what pieces may go where and, to my never-ending surprise, I find I get the right piece in the right place without a lot of thinking about it.
Parenting is a balance of problem-solving and intuition
When I work with families I often talk about the balance between problem solving and intuition. I talk about breaking down the situation and looking for clues about what pieces are missing that will create a sleep-promoting environment and improve the situation for everyone.
Following our intuition can lead to pretty big shifts towards resolving challenges
But I also talk about tapping into intuition -around what your baby needs, what might be getting in the way, and what may, in the end, be an opportunity for some trust in the process: that when babies get what they need (unconditional love, nurturing, and meeting their needs) and when we tap into our awareness, reflection, and intuition, things can shift in surprising ways.
Complex sleep situations still require a dance between intuition and intellect
As sleep situations get more complex, and baby's medical history and a family's history become more complex as well, this exploration of intuition versus intellect remains. Some situations require more concrete thinking and problem solving. Others require more reflection and exploration of deeper things. But always the two are explored.
As we approach a season of excitement, disruption of routines, anticipation, and stress, I encourage each of us to approach parenting as a puzzle that requires both our brain and our heart.
Warmly,
Heather Boyd, O.T.Reg. (Ont.)
Occupational Therapist