1.How many children do you have, and how old are they?
I have four children. They are aged 10, 8, 6, and 4.
2.Do you have a partner, or are you a single parent?
My main squeeze and I have been married for almost 11 years!
3.What are your “hot button” parenting issues?
=) When I was younger, I used to have many! I thought there was one right way to parent and if someone wasn't following that one way, they were wrong! Now I know that everyone must follow their own journey, and discover on their own what is right. But, I do get incredibly sad when I see mothers and babies not succeed at breastfeeding due to poor support or bad advice. I get incredibly frustrated when I hear parents talk about their children needing to be punished, and using God's name in which to do it. And any issue that disconnects parents and childrn, dismisses a child's needs, or encourages a parent-centered lifestyle raises my blood pressure.
4.Have you made any parenting choices that you didn’t think you would make before you were a parent, i.e. cloth diapering a child when you had previously thought it was disgusting?
Looking back, I really feel amazed at how willing I was to parent naturally right from the start. I didn't live in a natural home, but my mom had breastfed my brothers and I, and had cloth diapered out of lack of other options. When I had my children, I never considered anything else.
I weaned my oldest at 15 months while pregnant with my second. After my second was born, I remember thinking, "hm, I think I could nurse him until he's 18 months, but NOT until he's two! (My oldest was almost two at that point) That is just gross!" I went on to nurse him and his sisters who followed past the age of two!
5.Is there one book or person in particular that’s heavily influenced your parenting choices?
More than anything, the wonderful ladies who I found on Gentle Christian Mothering (back in early 2003) were the largest influence on my parenting choices when I was a young parent. They helped me so much with many of my struggles with discipline, diet, marriage, all things natural, etc. I don't know how my life would have been without them.
6.If you had to describe each of your children using only one word, what word would you use?
J - "intricate", A - "intuitive", E - "confident", M - "entertaining"
7.Is there one parenting decision that you regret more than others and wish you could change?
Yes. I believed, when my first was less than a year old, that he was fully able to comprehend right from wrong, and able to have the self control to follow my orders. I believed that he was willfully disobeying me from the time he was 9 months old, and as a result deserved to have hands slapped or bottom spanked. It turned into a disgusting cycle of harder and more spankings leading to more aggressive behaviors until we were both so angry and out of control. It was Gentle Christian Mothering which introduced me to the concept of gentle, or grace-based, discipline. I thought it was such a load of garbage at first. But, I am so thankful that God is full of grace and mercy, for both mamas and their little ones. And that our children are so willing to forgive. He forgave me a lot more easily and quickly than I have been able to forgive myself.
8.Is there an area of your parenting you wish you were better at?
I wish I was able to have more fun. When I was younger, I had no problems with getting on the floor and just playing, not minding messes. Now, I have become too responsible. I have separated myself from the children as the one in charge, who gets things done. I would really love to just be able to let loose and have fun and not get so stressed about it.
9.Now for the fun questions – is there one particular food or type of food that you could eat every day?
Lamb curry. I never get tired of it.
10.Vanilla ice cream or chocolate?
Depends on where I am in my cycle!
11.What’s your guilty pleasure?
Staying up late to watch British television shows on Netflix instant play.
12.If you could be part of any television show, which show would it be?
I don't watch regular television, so I don't really know. The shows that I like I really wouldn't want to be a part of, LOL!!
1 comments:
YAY! You joined the party!!!
Post a Comment