Saturday, October 29, 2011

09.01.2011 Bringing Up Baby

This month, I am joining with 28 other parents who are praying daily for our kids. In light of that, I plan to write a series of posts throughout September related to my thoughts and philosophies on parenting.

Today's post will be brief, as it's more of a disclaimer...

First, I only have one child, who is not yet 3.
Translation: I don't know squat about parenting. I will do the best I can to speak only from my own experience but EVERYTHING I WRITE SHOULD BE TAKEN WITH A FULL SHAKE OF SALT and a healthy side of meat.

Second, if you are not already aware of this, I tend towards non-traditional methods of parenting. I don't actually know what I mean by the phrase "traditional" but it would certainly be accurate to state that I don't do anything just because it's the commonly accepted practice. Which is not to say that I actively seek out alternative parenting styles in order to rebel against the system; it is more a reflection on the fact that I am insanely confident in myself and don't feel any need to get the approval of our society to make the choices that I do.
IF YOU TEND TOWARDS CONFORMITY - you may be appalled by what you read here.

Third, due to said abnormal self-confidence, I don't have much research to back up my opinions. In cases where I felt I needed statistics/facts/"proof" in order to make an informed decision, I have loads of studies, books, and external references to back up my choice. But most of the time, I parent with common sense, my gut instinct, and a whole lot of faith.
IF YOU SECOND-GUESS MOST OF YOUR DECISIONS, you may not want to follow the methods you find here.

Fourth, I should make it clear upfront that I believe every child is unique and that the absolute best thing any parent can do is KNOW YOUR KID. I confess that I judge other parents all the time - in my head. [Thank God I've learned to stop some things from coming out of my mouth!] But ultimately, I don't know their children so I CANNOT know if their choices are any better or worse than my own (broadly speaking. If I catch you swinging a bat at your kid's head, you better believe I'm going to step in).

With all this said, I'd love to ruminate on subjects that are of particular interest to you. So if you have any questions you're working through as a parent, specific areas you'd like to hear my opinion about, or want to challenge/criticize/judge anything you've seen me do as a parent, please leave me a comment!

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