I was excited to find Elisa Medhus's book, Raising Children Who Think for Themselves. Some of the many results of consensual living include children who think independently, are intrinsically motivated rather than extrinsically motivated, and who are competent and caring. The title speaks to me in a society where parents tend to micromanage and control everything... Continue Reading →
play food swap…
This Winter, I was making a lot of play food to add to our stash with the plan to put it in my children's Ostara baskets. I do like to plan ahead. While I tend to be able to make patterns and sew most things, yarn crafts hold a romantic fascination for me. Knitting and crocheting... Continue Reading →
mutual respect and cooperation…
A recipe for mutual respect and cooperation: Children learn what they are living. Children who are treated with respect by their parents reciprocate that respect. Just as they are listened to, they also listen to others. When they are shown consideration, they in turn, show consideration for others. Cooperate with one another. When parents cooperate... Continue Reading →
our third birth…
The night before 03 July 2007, I got everyone to sleep by about 11:00 PM. It had been a very long day. I wasn’t consciously expecting to have a baby the next day, but I did a lot of things that evening by compulsion to be prepared. I didn’t feel like sleeping. My body had... Continue Reading →
curious george…
We have a copy of the book Curious George. It was gifted to us; we did not purchase it. I've always really disliked the book (and the entire series in general). Then one night, as I read it to my children, I had a very different thought about it. Could the author have actually been commenting... Continue Reading →
getting a pool…
One night in early March, as we were chatting in bed with our children snuggled up sleeping around us, my husband turned to me and asked, "So, when do you think we can get a pool?" I have to admit this took me by surprise. We had been discussing moving to a bigger home sometime... Continue Reading →
take time to listen…
As parents, we sometimes get wrapped up in the management side of life - making certain everyone has clean clothes available, food, running errands, cleaning house, etc. I find that when I start to shift more to managing life rather than living life, I tend to miss out on a lot of things. When my third... Continue Reading →
learning from my daughter…
She dances in the sunlight, red highlights glinting from her hair. A smile emanates from her bright blue eyes and curving mouth. She is beautiful, this little girl from my womb, with her alabaster skin and long limbs. She plays hard, and her muscles strengthen each day. I watch her growing taller; some day... Continue Reading →
parent effectiveness training…
Dr. Thomas Gordon, a nobel peace prize nominee, was a pioneer in effective communication skills and conflict resolution. The licensed clinical psychologist wrote several books, numerous articles, and ran effective training courses to help individuals learn to better communicate and solve conflicts between one another. Gordon Model techniques are known world-wide. Gordon revolutionalized the world... Continue Reading →
focusing on our children…
This post is part of the 2010 API Principles of Parenting blog carnival, a series of monthly parenting blog carnivals, hosted by API Speaks. Learn more about attachment parenting by visiting the API website. My husband's grandmother was visiting last January. She had been staying with my in-laws, and my children and I drove 45... Continue Reading →
living peacefully with children 