Parenting

It isn't easy parenting.  It's a series of choices made each day, hour, minute that impact the future of your precious babes.   It also isn't easy to decide how you want to parent...what your style is going to be...the core framework of what your choices are based upon.  But it is easier to watch others and decide what you won't do.  And of course some of those..."I'm never going to...." go right out the window once you have a child or once your in that particular position.

So here is my particular framework:
I am a mixture "natural, attachment, Montessori, and whatever else" parent.  I value my kids eating organic, fresh, and healthy foods.  I value them not being exposed to unnecessary medicine, chemicals, toxins, etc.  Homemade is best most of the time.  I value them feeling safe, secure, and loved.  I value their emotions and opinions. They do matter.  They are young little people and deserve to be treated with respect and understanding.  My babes having empathy for others is super important.  Children are naturally self centered...but if I teach them nothing but having empathy that would be okay with me (not ideal but okay!).  I value their independence.  Go forth and be happy...be independent.  I will be here for you...I will come when called...I will love you always...and I will take care of you...but I am not in charge of making you happy.  Happiness and being content comes from within.  Be independent make your way...make mistakes...learn from them...and grow.  But always know that when you need me I will be there...every single time.  And Zack he follows my lead and has his own individual style.  Things that fly with mom don't always with dad...and visa versa.  They have tons of fun playing (creating super large messes) with dad in charge.  But that's his style.  But it all works for us!

Independence...I highly value it.  The kids growing up here they've had the opportunity to be very independent in a pretty safe environment...on and off base.  I'm working with Caraline on paying attention to her surroundings...how to cross the street safely, etc.  But Noah he knows.  I can trust him to go outside our fenced in yard and stay near the house or walk from the car across the grass and find his way to the park. They can run ahead of me and check it out.  And they will stop running or walking when told to stop.  But in dangerous circumstances I of course reach for their hands and Noah isn't allowed to cross the street without one of us.  Although according to him I get a "Mom, I'm big.  I know how to cross the street.  I look both ways...see I know how! I can do it myself!"    Zack is naturally more cautious than I am.  And I think some of it is because he spends less time with the kids and isn't quite sure what they can and can't do alone.  They surprise him every now and then!  Given the opportunity kids can do so much.  Grab themselves a snack, pour themselves a drink, clean up after themselves, clean the house...and the list goes on.  Noah and Caraline are proud and I can see their happiness at accomplishing something all by themselves.  It's important for them to be independent.  Why should we do things for the kids that they can do for themselves...things that they get a sense of pride at accomplishing for themselves.  And plus it's a bonus for us when they can do those tasks themselves!