Provide Consistent & Loving Care

Respectful Discipline

November 12, 2012

As the mother of a very curious and interactive seven-month-old, I’m constantly having to redirect her correct some of her less-than-desirable behaviors. She’s so interested in her world and eager to interact with anyone and everyone who will give her the time of day. At our last pediatrician’s appointment, we were told that socially, she’s [...]

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Why babies don’t “behave”

November 6, 2012

Have you ever had someone comment to you how “well-behaved” your baby is? If not, don’t worry, just read on. This compliment reflects a pervasive Western misconception about how babies function. Have you ever met an under-one-year-old who understood what society expected of him and adjusted his behavior to accomodate those expectations? I haven’t. I [...]

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The More Things Change, the More They Stay the Same

October 11, 2012

When my children were babies, I was with them almost constantly. I breastfed and co-slept and wore them. When they started to talk they learned to say “dada” ages before they learned to say “mama”. I joked with my husband that there was simply no reason to learn my name. I was just there, a [...]

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Mommy’s here

October 5, 2012

Just after my daughter’s second birthday, she had a prescription to get blood drawn. I told myself it would be okay and I decided that it would be easier for her if she watched me do it first. We went to the local hospital. I had gone there many, many times during the past year [...]

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Baby: from Other to Teacher

September 28, 2012

If you survey mainstream Western baby-care advice from the past two centuries, you’ll see a common theme: the perception that babies are wild beings who need to be tamed in order to be incorporated into family life. The concept of “otherness” is familiar in the history of humankind – it’s a driving force behind the [...]

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Extra Pair of Eyes

July 23, 2012

I cannot underscore the importance of a supportive spouse, partner, or mother’s helper when you’re a work-from-home parent of a mobile baby or preverbal toddler. Just this week, my seven-month-old son has learned to climb the few steps between the family room, where my office is located, and the kitchen. I had hoped the steps [...]

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Helping Older Kids Adjust to a New Baby

July 16, 2012

My older son was 2 years and 8 months old when his little brother was born.  I’d agonized for a long time about child spacing, and was worried about how Sol (my first born) would handle the addition to the family.  We’re 3 months into being a family of 4 and I’ve learned a lot [...]

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Mama’s Night Out

June 18, 2012

Yesterday evening I had the chance for a night out of the house on my own. Today, I’m recalling another evening a number of years ago when I really wanted a night out, but I wasn’t in the place to make it happen. Let’s compare and contrast those two evenings. Yesterday Evening My children were [...]

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