I have gotten a tremendous amount of positive feedback regarding my post from several months back, The Secret of Losing My Shit. I keep recirculating it, but I recently thought to myself, “Why? I have lost my shit like 5,453 times since then so why not just keep talking about this topic?” I consider myself a gentle parent, but that doesn’t mean I am always perfect and always gentle. It means that gentle parenting is my ideal and it is what I strive for. There is not a single person out there who has reached perfection at anything they do. Even professional baseball players who make flawless plays most of the time strike out sometimes. [Read more…]
Breastfeeding Mothers Persevere
The internet is full of photos shared by people who want to show off their happiest of moments. Breastfeeding mothers enjoy posting their breastfeeding photos on the internet to share them with friends, family and like-minded mothers. I do this often. My favorite photos are of Jack…
Read this post at Breastfeeding Basics!
Urban Playground
One of my biggest struggles as a mother is to let go of my agenda and listen to Jack’s. I set out to the park on an unseasonably warm day in Chicago. I mean how many days do we get to enjoy such a treat? On our way out the door Jack saw a puddle and squirmed to explore it. I tugged on his coat and coaxed him to the park. He resisted. I resisted back.
I stopped myself and asked, “what’s the big deal? Why can’t he play here? Why does he have to play in any designated area just because it is what I thought of first?” I put him down and he jumped into the puddle. He was elated in a way not often seen. I lost 10 minutes on an extra load of laundry, but gained a happy and healthy exploring toddler whose self-esteem and brain developed leaps and bounds in a way it would not have if I had demanded his compliance of my arbitrary structure of the day. I also gained a snuggley warm bath with my baby boy who is growing faster than the speed of light. Splash on, Jack. Splash on!
Abby Theuring, MSW
A Book Review of Sage Parenting: Where Nature Meets Nurture
Sage Parenting: Where Nature Meets Nurture by Rachel Rainbolt, MA could have drastically changed how I prepared for motherhood. When I became pregnant I read What to Expect When You’re Expecting like it was the holy bible for pregnant mothers. Each month I read the corresponding chapter about 12 times. I enjoyed reading about my baby. I didn’t know that there was a whole world of parenting books out there and when I gave birth to Jack, while I spent the whole pregnancy following his growth, I wasn’t at all prepared to be his mother. I wasn’t even prepared for birth or the decisions made immediately after birth. [Read more…]
The Secret of Losing My Sh*t
It recently came to my attention that people are under the impression that since I practice gentle parenting techniques with my son that I always remain calm. When I told my husband that I suspected people were thinking this he laughed and said “I wish they were here last Saturday, that was a real stomp-fest,” referring to the way I stomped around the house annoyed at Jack’s incessant whining. No, my friend, I do not remain calm all the time. I don’t even know if I remain calm most of the time. My buttons are pushed about 75 times a day (as any mother) and I feel on the edge of losing my shit about 67 of those times. I believe strongly in being as gentle a mama as I can, but I am a human being not a robot. So, let me clear the air. [Read more…]
