4.1.10

My Parenting Style



Is there such a thing as a parenting style?

I don't think I have a style, in some things I'm relaxed to the point of silliness and yet in others I'm strict in the extreme.

So what gives? well it's an odd idea but I use my brain.

My parenting style is based on me and my child, not you, not your child. You can do as you see fit (maiming and abusing your child obviously excepted!) and I will do what works for us.

I read lots of books on babies and children and on parenting. I read books on 'sleeping' and on 'feeding' and on 'talking' and on 'potty training'. I read lots of books, and websites, and magazines, and talked to friends. And you know what? they all disagreed!! No two sources could agree on anything!
So I should 'let my baby cry it out' and I should 'pick her up everytime she cried', I should 'feed every 4 hours' and 'feed on demand'. I should use 'disposable nappies as they are drier' and use 'cloth nappies to save the planet'.
I should feed 'real food at 4 months' or '6 months' or '8 months' or when I finish breastfeeding (which I may not want to do as bottle feeding makes it easier to see how much your baby is getting...
So I should 'let potty training just happen' I should 'use sweets' or 'star charts' I should 'let my child see me use the toilet' I should 'go cold turkey - straight to no nappies' or I should 'use pull-ups in case of accidents' etc etc you get the picture.

One thing I was 100% on, I wanted to breast feed. Which I did - despite a hiccup on day 5 when milk arriving by the tanker load caused my tiny boobs to become hard coconuts that a porn star would be proud of (and that a baby trying to latch onto just bounced off of!) a quick trip back to the hospital and the midwives helped me out, so that was all good. So breast feeding, check, cloth nappies, check.

Letting my baby cry sometimes, yep (so sue me). baby sleeping through the night at 6 weeks, check, potty trained when she seemed to be ready, check, out of nappies and dry at night at 1 year, check......

oh yes I'm the perfect mum.................zzzzzzzzzsscccrraaaaaaaaaattccchhhhhhhhh zzzzzzzzz

sorry what? where was I oh yes...... so my parenting style is a mishmash of things heard, things learned from other mums, my own ideas etc

I believe that children need rules and boundaries so my child has them. But I also believe she's a person with ideas and likes and dislikes that can be discussed. I believe that she should get her way some days but that the world is not hers alone, that mummy and daddy matter too, that our house has rules that we all need to follow to have a happy home. That chores are something no one wants to do but we all have to. That pocket money (like wages) must be earned. That sometimes you can have a treat for no reason, and that some days suck while some are fun. That actions have consequences, and they may be bad.

The one constant is LOVE, I adore my daughter to the point of pain, I'd gladly die to save her..........
Photobucket
~~~~~~~~~

so I read that ramble back to myself and realise I DO have a parenting style, it's 'personal chaotic' and I think that there maybe no saving throws............

Popular posts