I’ve written a few posts about our attempts to “find the ‘Yes’” in situations with our children. I had a recent reminder that some of my ‘Yesses’ are still not making the grade.
Z (2 years) has been waking up around 5am for the last few months which Anne & I are finding very challenging. On […]

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I admit it. I am still a reforming parenting control freak.
You wouldn’t know it to chat to me. Or by the fact I am into unschooling and trusting my children. But in all honesty it is a constant effort not to “do things for them”, or more often “to tell them or make them do […]

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I know it can be hard sometimes.
In fact over the years I’ve been through periods when I thought that “the Yes” have become extinct. They can be slippery buggers – sometimes so small and great at hiding. Its as though you’ve got to feel them first… believe in them… then maybe, just maybe you might […]

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This is so me sometimes
click on the image below to see the full size pic in a new window…

[note: you can reproduce any of these cartoons so long as you: 1) leave a comment or drop me a line to tell me where; 2) include a live link back to www.theparentingpit.com; and 3) […]

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Let me unequivocally state here and now that consistency is essential, non negotiable and crucial in parenting… if you are going down the behavioural modification road.
The bastion of mainstream parenting, this approach generally has shaping and moulding children’s behaviour into acceptable forms as its primary goal.
Studies show that consistency is crucial to this end. OK, […]

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A SPECIAL POST BECAUSE THE PARENTING PIT IS ONE YEAR OLD TODAY!!!
Ironically if I stumbled upon a site like this just three year ago, I would have ignored it at best and written an abusive email at worst. Somewhere in between that three year and one year mark, I went through a […]

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These days if someone is wanting to make changes to their parenting I recommend Pam Leo’s Connection Parenting. If someone is the partner of someone who wants to make change then I would recommend Alfie Kohn’s Unconditional Parenting.
Kohn’s book presents a strong case, with well referenced research and in that sense presents a compelling […]

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We just returned home from 10 days staying with my mum interstate for a relation’s Indian wedding extravaganza.
Pictured is M after Mendhi night, a traditional ceremony where henna is put in intricate patterns on the hands of female participants, it lasts for about two weeks afterwards.
WHEN YOUR CHEEKS ARE NOT YOUR OWN
A big Indian get […]

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So you’re reading it anyway right?
In fact more people will probably read this post because of that title. Me writing “Do NOT read this Post” is a limit that is unexplained, artificial and/ or you have no reason for believing… why wouldn’t you at best ignore it or more likely become even more curious by […]

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I was starting to think I was being paranoid about my expected response to the article I wrote for Kindred magazine. Kindred is one of my favourite parenting resources and my impression is that its readership is into natural parenting, simple living, Steiner (Waldolf) and such things.
A friend just let me know about this […]

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