For a peaceful home, for a peaceful world
Parenting can be a truly radical act. The way in which we raise our children can have a profound positive impact on our families, our communities, and our world. At its heart, peaceful parenting is a social justice issue: as adults, we have more power than our children. How we choose to use our power matters.…
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Well friends, it’s been a hot minute hasn’t it? I hope you’re all doing OK during these strange, uncertain times. Our family is currently in week seven of social distancing, and things have been up and down for us, like I’m sure things have been for you too. I’ve been experiencing sadness at missing our…
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Yes, you read that title right! I want to talk a bit about why our children’s challenging behaviour can be a gift to us as peaceful parents, and something that we could actually begin to feel grateful for. As a peaceful parent, one of the most valuable mindset shifts which serves me again and again…
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“The training of the teacher who is to help life is something far more than the learning of ideas. It includes the training of character; it is a preparation of the spirit.” Maria Montessori Montessori developed her now world-famous educational method for use in schools, so when she was writing she directed her words towards…
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For a little while now I’ve wanted to write about why I hate the word “discipline” when used in reference to something parents to do their children, and why I am increasingly rejecting the notion that as parents we need to discipline our children at all. And yes, I’m even including “gentle discipline” in this…
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Empathy can be defined as recognising and understanding the feelings of others. From an evolutionary perspective, empathy is crucial and a valuable tool without which otherwise we would not have been so successful as a species. We are biologically wired for connection with others, and empathy facilitates this connection. Below are some thoughts on how…
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(This post was originally written for Instagram, but it received such a positive response that I wanted to share it here too.) I believe that one of the most important gifts we can give our children is that of unconditional positive regard. Coined by the psychologist Carl Rogers, it means that when we’re interacting with…
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Last month in The Peaceful Home we were exploring inner work, mindset, and mindfulness for parents. As the days grow darker and nights get longer, I am feeling a real sense of drawing inwards, of craving space for reflection and meditation, carving out time to read, plan, and ponder, and really focus on my own…
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“What are you doing about Santa?” is a question that comes up a lot in peaceful parenting groups. If you decide to “do” Santa / Father Christmas, it is still possible to do so in a gentle way! For our family, Santa is a fun fictional character who Frida loves to talk about (like, loves.…
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If you have a child in school or daycare, I’m sure you’re eager to find out how your little love has spent their day. Although it can be so tempting to jump in with questions as soon as you see your child – What did you do? Did you have fun? – it can be less…
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