02.02.13

As a young mama, I've been bombarded by parenting magazines, 'make your baby do this/that' books, other parents or non-parents providing their advice,  etc. Fortunately, I think a lot of that marketed stuff, and some 'common wisdom' is bunk. For example, I don't feel deprived because my child didn't sleep through the night by age 3 months. In fact, he's probably had fewer than a dozen full nights' sleeps in his 2+years with us. I may be deprived, but from sleep alone. Not because he's not someone else's idea of a perfect sleeper. Sleeping through the night with a newborn/young child is an American dream like the whole white picket fence and apple pie shtick.

Granted,  these things have their pearls of wisdom, some more hidden than others, but I am one who believes in the basics. Perhaps this stems from the fact that I jive with attachment parenting, am aware of typical neurodevelopment, and am comfortable with myself - and therefore can allows others to be themselves, as well.

For anyone who's interested in possibly having kids, has them, or only sees them on TV once in a while, and doesn't want to get preached at, I suggest three books I've appreciated and have resonated decently well with:

1) My Mother Wears Combat Boots is a real-life, realistic, and not about needing money-money-money in order to afford kids experience from the author's point of view.

2) Beyond the Sling was recently released and an appropriately (to me) heralded book that focuses on natural and attachment parenting.

3) This is one I've recently come in to, Beyond the Rainbow Bridge, through my novel experiences with Waldorf Education. There is a fantastic Waldorf school initiative here in Cleveland Heights that should really finally take off in this area over the next year. My husband and I are looking into starting our C there in the fall, for his  preschool experience. So far, C and I have really enjoyed the Waldorf parent-toddler class that we've been going to since this past autumn. If you've ever read, or even heard of, Rudolf Steiner's prolific works, this book is a good initial transitioner from his theories into (educative) practice.

From experiences at work over the past couple weeks, I've come to more fully appreciate that I'm able to allow others to be themselves with me. Especially in my own home, with my own family. Especially with my child. He deserves to be whomsoever he is and is to become.