Without getting into the highly private, intense, and controversial areas of parenting styles, I still see an enormous benefit to educating about the critical impact, for life, of what a baby and toddler experiences in the 0 – 3 age range. While we can focus on a variety of ’superficial’ issues, one parenting method over another, choices that seem vital to the parenting style we want to endorse, we seldom hear or have an open discussion of the impact of subtle nuances on our baby’s wellness. Even amongst ‘experts’, the importance of clarity of our own values and priorities before we parent is seldom discussed.

Learning to recognize, love, and accept that which is difficult, unacceptable, and challenging within ourselves is a fundamental precept to parenting. Support for that process is vital and easily makes the difference between a parent who suceeds and one who is overwhelmed.

Please encourage all those you know who are comtemplating parenthood, are already parents of babies/toddlers, and who are caregivers to seek their most trustworthy parenting voice from their own essence. As always, I welcome your questions and comments.

I cannot stress enough the importance of the mother’s and father’s emotional life, and how they impact the baby’s health and well-being. This by no means implies that parents should ‘put on a happy face’ for their babies. The artificiality does not fool your baby for a moment. The motivation to do something about your own frustrations and challenges, and the compassion and wisdom to integrate your own growth into your parenting is the valuable approach.

Your fears, worries, and anxieties are communicated to your baby without so much as a word being spoken. It’s the ultimate inspiration to take action to calm yourself, explore your support options, and consistently apply the principles of growing yourself. In this way, what you project onto your baby will move in the direction of more and more healthy parenting.

Please comment on my blog. I’d appreciate it!

Yesterday I attended a weekly music class for babies and toddlers that is usually a highly participatory, fun event. The group was large, and both babies and adults were cranky, subdued, and not engaged nearly as much as usual. My ‘armchair diagnosis’ is sensory overload from all the ‘extras’ already going on because of holidays. I heard a couple of Moms comment on their incredibly long lists of extra things they were trying to accomplish because of holidays, and several bemoaned how close together Thanksgiving and Christmas are this year!

While I have no solution to the overwhelm many adults succumb to during this season, I do suggest shielding your baby from it as much as possible. Be aware that your baby absorbs all the ambient ‘energy’, whether or not it is directed at her. Even if you are wisely maintaining the regular routines, she is also picking up the heightened state of excitement everywhere, from the retail buzz in stores to festivities at friends’ homes. If you carefully limit how much you choose to expose baby to, you will have much less stressed out crankiness with which to contend.

Happy Holidays!

Email and phone support available throughout!

I’ll be there both days, and would love to see you!

If you’re in Colorado and have a chance to stop by, please do – Colorado Convention Center in Denver, lots of valuable information, fun, and lots of shopping!