Archive for the 'control & connection' Category

Finding the Yes

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 […]

Cartoon: Food Freedom

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) […]

The Con in Consistency

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, […]

Five Lessons From My Children

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 […]

New Review of Pam Leo’s Connection Parenting

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 […]

Mendhi & Marriage Mayhem

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 […]

DO NOT READ THIS POST!

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 […]

The Backlash Begins…

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 […]

Month of getting published

The first article I wrote when I first launched this site An Unschooling Journey from Control to Connection has now been printed in Kindred magazine, although I have not seen a copy yet. I love that mag, but the readership is very Steiner/ Waldolf based and I’m not sure what the reaction will be […]

in the Land of Giants

Five years in and Im starting to get this parenting thing enough to move categories. I have now graduated from “well intentioned but misguided and clueless” to the “has a vague clue if not always able to live up to it” stage. I reckon by the time Im a grandparent (if it happens) I’ll be […]