Lets see...what to write about today...I guess I will write about a website I like. www.naturalchild.org It has all sorts of articles about raising children "treated with dignity, respect, understanding, and compassion." I truly believe most of what is written there. This website introduced me to Attachment Parenting, Co-Sleeping, breastfeeding babies for more than 1 year, diaper-free babies, and Unschooling. Unfortunately I don't have a baby yet to try it all on, but hopefully soon. One article that has really stuck with me was about diffusing the power struggle between parents and children. If you take the time to find out what you child really needs, why they are arguing with you, you can solve the problem fairly between the two of you with neither one feeling like they lost. There was an example of a child who was on the top of a slide at a park and wouldn't come down, she was blocking other children from sliding down also. In the article, the father tries several tactics to get the child down, after figuring out why she wouldn't come down, and is eventually able to work through the problem without either him or his daughter getting angry. The article is called "Down the Slide, or Up the Anger Escalator?" by Inbal Kashtan.
Smile often, keep a song in your heart, and be happy with who you are.