“You can’t support your family if you can’t support yourself. Trust your gut. It might be time to check in on your mental health.”
Source: What Do I Do Now? The basics of parenting babies ... without stress
“Childhood is a time of discovery and learning. Play is vitally important for early child development. It allows them to express their creativity and learn to interact with other children. For them it is both work and relaxation. While children love exploring and we must give them enough time to play, many infants and toddlers also find reassurance in repetitive routines, and we need to build this stability into their day.”
Source: What Do I Do Now? The basics of parenting babies ... without stress
“Adolescence is a turbulent time of life, and parents are understandably concerned about their children. There is a fine line between wanting to know if your child is in trouble and respecting their privacy.”
Source: What Do I Do Now? The basics of parenting babies ... without stress
“If we are struggling at any stage of parenting, think about the atmosphere in the house that we are creating. Is it one of anxiety or anger? Disapproval or judgment?
Show your child warmth, support, tolerance, encouragement and praise. Be fair to them, provide them with security, focus on giving them approval and acceptance for their differences.
Imagine the atmosphere in the house with this abundance of these things. Your child will feel safe, loved and confident, moving into the world a whole and grounded being.”
Source: What Do I Do Now? The basics of parenting babies ... without stress
“To help our kids develop self-compassion, we need to retrain the way they see and speak to themselves - their inner voice. To do this, we might need to retrain our own inner voice, to be gentle with ourselves and accept the parenting decisions we have made. By being kind to ourselves, over time, our children will learn and build on their own self-compassion.”
Source: What Do I Do Now? The basics of parenting babies ... without stress
“When babies are very young, their behaviours are automatic and reflex driven. Only at 6-14 weeks old do they begin to become aware of the outside world. New babies are simply not aware of us, and we need to adjust our expectations around their behaviour. In other words, we won’t always be able to stop them crying, or make them calm, or get them to feed well.”
Source: What Do I Do Now? The basics of parenting babies ... without stress
“Just like the startle or the grasp reflex, crying is a reflex. There does not have to be an emotional, or even physical, reason behind the cry.”
Source: What Do I Do Now? The basics of parenting babies ... without stress
“Do not subject yourself to unnecessary regrets. Climb those mountains with good intent. Each step taken and each peak conquered has a positive influence.”
Source: Coming to Grips with the Mountains and Valleys of This World
“Despite saying that very young babies are primitive, it remains vital that we touch them, hold them, respond to them. One cannot just leave a baby on its own! Interacting with the baby is essential for them, not just in that moment. The development of the baby's senses requires stimulation. Vision will not develop well in the dark. Hearing will not develop in the absence of speaking and singing to them. It definitely matters to them, they just do not know who is touching and holding them.”
Source: What Do I Do Now? The basics of parenting babies ... without stress
“Ignorance and curiosity often make toddlers do things that make them seem suicidal.”