Feed with Love and Respect

The Food Battle

January 20, 2011

It is raging. You know what I am talking about:  the toddler food battle. My mom keeps quoting someone that she read (and I honestly would tell you who it is but she doesn’t remember, and it is paraphrased I am sure): “Any child worth his salt will put up a fight.” Well, my son [...]

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What I Will Miss

December 17, 2010

I have two children. My daughter Hannah is 5 1/2, and my son Jacob is 2. While I like to believe that I’ve parented them in the same way, they are two very different little people. From their very first days, they have made their individuality clear. I have found this very freeing, as a [...]

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Empowering infants as people

December 16, 2010

So many of our parenting practices, I realize, have to do with treating our baby (6.5 months this week) like a full-fledged person, with the same rights and preferences as her parents. While it may seem weird to the masses, drawing harsh lines between adults and babies doesn’t give our babies enough credit. For example, [...]

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Gentle Parenting Ideas Series: Meals and Eating

November 10, 2010

This post is the third in a series about gentle parenting through potential power struggles with your toddler or preschooler. Each post will give you ideas and examples for using love, patience, and creativity to work through some fairly common parent/toddler areas of concern: brushing teeth, getting into the car seat, meals/eating, grocery shopping, diaper [...]

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Breastfeeding and Breast Cancer Awareness Month

October 14, 2010

I find myself sort of disappointed in my Facebook friends recently.  Many of you may have noticed the barrage of “I like it on…” status updates the past few days.  These all seem like sexual innuendos (I like it on the table, etc.) And many of you probably remember back in January when every other [...]

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The Slow Road to Weaning

October 8, 2010

My toddler Jacob is now 2 years and 2 months old. He breastfeeds several times a day, especially at naptime or at night. Nursing remains an important source of comfort for him. And yet, I am slowly noticing shifts in Jacob’s nursing patterns. For example, at night now I can often re-settle him without nursing. [...]

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Is She Too Attached?

August 11, 2010

My 8 month old daughter, Penelope, is going through a separation anxiety phase.  If I walk out of her eye sight, even for a second, even if Peter, my husband, or someone else is sitting with her and playing, she cries.  She is a MAMA’S GIRL right now.  When her anxiety first showed up, I [...]

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Involving Children in Food

August 4, 2010

I breastfed both of my babies. Once we got the hang of things, it was easy. When they were hungry, or wanted comfort, they nursed. Simple. Then I introduced solid foods, and the world changed. Feeding with love and respect took on new meaning. Food altogether took on new meaning. Suddenly, there was a question [...]

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