Please join us all week, June 25-June30, 2012, as we explore the world of gentle, effective parenting. We have new posts each day by talented authors providing us with insight into why gentle parenting is worth your time and how to implement it on a daily basis.
We are also giving away several parenting book and other goodies from our sponsors this week. Please stop by and enter to win!
This year's beautiful motherhood artwork is by Patchwork Family Art. Visit the store to see all her work.
Instead, we need to parent gently. I call attachment parenting, "listen to your gut, gentle parenting." We all have our struggles. Whether it is balance, or the yelling voice comes out or we may even have it in our mind that "I was spanked, would just once be okay"? When our babies become toddlers, they start getting into things and it is easy to redirect or to remove the item, but at the preschool age, there is such a sense of SELF and they actually have some abilities!
During this time it is so easy to break a child's spirit. It is easy to become detached or to yell when they're trying to parent their younger sibling or if they're attempting something you're just not ready for them to do.
It is in this time when we, as parents, need to think of how to continue to be gentle in our approach to our kids. I do not want to be an overbearing parent, and I want my children to learn boundaries on their own, but at times it is hard to know that balance.
I find that "prep" is key. If I prep my 4 year old for what is happening next, things always go easier. Whether it is warning that a friend may not be able to play that day or that I'll need her to have her listening ears on so we can get to the park before friends leave, prep and communication are always key.
The old adage, "Lack of preparation on YOUR part does not necessitate an emergency on MY part"....?" definitely comes into play here. The fact that my daughter asks when we're getting in the car, "are we running late" definitely means I've done my share of not preparing enough to do what we need to do. Luckily I've surrounded myself with mostly likely minded parents so when I'm meeting our friends... they understand.
Day 1: I'm Thinking About Gentle Discipline
Are you considering Gentle Discipline and don't know where to start? Not surprising giving how the media talks about helicopter and permissive parenting. If you like the idea of gentle parenting but don't know where to start then today's posts are for you! Today we are giving away 1 copy of Alfie Kohn's Unconditional Parenting AND 1 set of the Faber/Mazlish books How to Talk So Kids Will Listen... and Siblings Without Rivalry! Click here to enter!
Day 2: Ok, Sounds Good. Now What?
Maybe you've read posts like yesterdays and you are intellectually convinced that this gentle parenting thing sounds great. Now what? Today's posts expand on the philosophy of gentle parenting as our authors break it down. Today we are giving away 3 copies of For My Children and 1 set of the Feelings Flash Cards! Click here to enter!
Day 3: Beyond Punishment
Now that you have a great basis for the principles of gentle parenting let's look at one of the trickier parts of implementation. Punishment. Consequences. Regardless of how mainstream parents talk about it this is the "big scary" thing that many parents worry will make their parenting permissive. Today's authors talk about this important issue. Today we are giving away 2 copies of Positive Parenting in Action by Rebecca Eanes and Laura Ling! Click here to enter!
Day 4: But What About When...?
Today's authors look at some specific situations that many parents face and give us a gentle approach to resolution. Today we are giving away3 copies of Help Your Child Want to Behave by Dr. Laura Markham! Click here to enter!
Day 5: Keeping Gentle Focus
When the society around you is parenting one way it is easy to fall back into old patterns. Reminders about why you want to parent gently and how to do so can really keep you on track. Today's post is by Parenting Gently Contributor Jennifer who shares some of her favorite posts.
You can enter your own favorites (by you or someone else) at the bottom of this post! Please add your name and the title of the post.
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