I want my children to grow up with a healthy emotional intelligence. Simply put, I want them to have a healthy range of emotions, know the vernacular so that they can express those feelings, and deal with unpleasant feelings in a safe way. That emotional education begins when they are still quite young and must happen regularly. Let me give you some insight into what’s working beautifully for our family! Continue reading
Category: AP (Page 3 of 5)
Here you will find everything related to Attachment Parenting. This is the foundation of why I do what I do, and actually is the inspiration behind Real Simple Mama!
Attachment parenting (AP) is the concept of listening to your child, being aware of their needs and where they are developmentally, and working with your child. We should be on the same team as our kids, not trying to bully them or scare them into obeying us. Instead, we teach our children about everything from eating healthy foods, to how to be kind to others, to earning respect and trust. There’s an emphasis on emotional intelligence and talking through things instead of punishing or yelling.
AP has its place in every phase of parenting, from the littles ones all the way through teenage years! It’s helped me be a better, more confident, more relaxed mom. And I know that my kids are blossoming because they respect and love me. They aren’t scared of me and they hold no resentment.
I hope that I can help teach you about how beautiful (and real simple) being an AP can be!
Being aware of your baby’s milestones and leaps will save you a lot of worry and stress, as you are able to anticipate and meet their needs. Remember that a baby grows more (physically and neurologically) in their first year, than any other year of their life!
I didn’t even know what a milestone was with my first kid until he was close to a year old; no one told me about it, and it would have helped me so much with my first baby! And leaps? Forget about it! (Oh if I only knew then what I know now, right?).
This text is designed to help parents and caregivers navigate the rough waters of baby development. Awareness of leaps and milestones allows parents to guide their infant through all of the changes, regressions, and new skills which each leap presents. Continue reading
My son is an amazing child: he’s considerate, kind, and sensitive. And I knew early on that I would never spank or hit him. But he’s at an age where we need to have an effective, consistent way to correct him and teach him. I’m here to tell you: attachment parenting does not mean that you let your kids do whatever the hell they want. We have high expectations, we are consistent, and we mean what we say. But how we discipline our kids may look quite different from what you’re used to. We use what’s called “natural consequences.” And let me say, it works beautifully. Continue reading
Turn on the news and you will see: it’s a dangerous world out there. While we try to surround ourselves with good people and safe experiences, our children will one day be out on their own. We must prepare our kids for all kinds of situations. And the dialogue to keeping our kids safe starts when they’re still young and innocent.
Here I’ll give you some suggestions on how to begin those essential conversations. Continue reading
Cosleeping is a natural thing, and you see it in cultures all over the world. A lot of families cosleep: it’s what works for them. But I think most parents are ashamed or embarrassed to admit this. Why? There are lots of reasons to bedshare, lots of benefits to all family members, and lots of ways to do it safely. Let’s get rid of the stigma that bedsharing is dangerous or crazy, and teach parents the truth: it can be pretty damn awesome. Continue reading
Do you have an open relationship with your kids? Do you feel that you have mutual trust and respect? Are you comfortable talking to your kids about anything, and do you feel that they would come to you if they had a problem or a question? Whether you’re just starting out with your young child, or you have a teenager, here are my researched, tried-and-true, usable suggestions for how to talk to your kids. Continue reading
I’m a mom. And a teacher. So I’m basically a seasoned professional kid watcher. And honestly, I’ve seen some behaviors from parents lately which make me angry and upset. To help spread the word and help you earn some good parent karma, I’ve put together my four biggest tips for you to follow when your child is going to be playing with others.
Whether your child will be in daycare, a Mother’s Day Out program, preschool, or just randomly playing with kids at the park or library, you need to be aware of these things. Your child’s happiness, health, and safety depend on it. Continue reading
I admit it. I got into a power struggle with my three year old the other day. I know it’s the “easy way out” and it doesn’t really help anyone, but I was tired and looking for the quick fix. Plus… he was being such a jerk! …There I go. Making excuses for not parenting the best way I know how. I just KNEW that trying to corner him into doing what I wanted wouldn’t work. But I did it anyway. It lasted about six minutes before my fatigued mind and exhausted heart said, “Enough. Choose kindness.” Continue reading
Being a stay-at-home mom has been the best, most difficult job I’ve ever had, or will ever have. And yet, I absolutely love it. Not a moment goes by when I think “I wish I was working instead of being home with my babies.” However, going from a working mom (Kid #1) to SAHM (Kid #2) was a challenging transition. Here I describe the good, the bad, and the ugly of both… all from an attachment mom’s perspective. Continue reading
I have hated this since before I was even a parent. It was incredulous to me how this could be so accepted and so widespread. Doesn’t anyone get it?! Wake up, people! This is what I hate most about children’s media. And the worst part is that you may not even notice it.
Warning: this is a rant post. But I hope you’ll read with an open mind, because I have a good point damnit. Continue reading
