Early Parenting http://earlyparenting.com en-us Fri, 25 Jul 2008 15:17:59 +0000 Fri, 25 Jul 2008 15:17:59 +0000 http://earlyparenting.com/rss MediaStove V1.0 Eleven quick and easy ways to slow it down http://earlyparenting.com/nuggets-of-goodness/eleven-quick-and-easy-ways-to-slow-it-down/ Bern, here are some simple and very effective ways to slow things down when you are feeling emotionally and physically out of balance. It takes some practice but once you are in the habit of taking a few moments to resource yourself it becomes second nature. One way to start incorporating them into daily life is to post them in places where you will see them easily — the car, bathroom mirror, refrigerator, etc. Heck, tattooing them onto your arm wouldn’t be such a bad idea either!

Try a few and find what works for you and toss the rest. Here you go…

1. PAUSE — Stop what you are doing and remind yourself to come back to the present moment.

2. ADMIT — recognize and admit you are disregulated or fragmented and remind yourself you’ve been this way before and you came out of that and you will come out of this.

3. FEET — Feel your feet. Make contact with the ground. (Take your shoes off.)

4. NAME — Feel your body sensations and say them out loud.

5. BREATH — Rest your hands on your lower abdomen �” Breathe slowly into your lower abdomen, letting the inhale raise your hands. Exhale slowly (count of 5 �” 10). Repeat as necessary.

6. EYES — Name objects and their colors in rapid succession (at least 10).

7. DRINK — Drink a glass of water slowly. The sensation can help bring you back to calm.

8. OUTSIDE — Go outside for a minute and take some deep breaths. Notice the surroundings. Walk slowly for a minute.

9. GET HELP — Call a good friend — one who can empathize and help you get grounded.

10. MAKE CONTACT — Eye contact, touch and sweet sounds are the fastest way out of disregulation.

11. SELF TALK — “I’m safe” “I’m strong” “I can handle it” “I’m ready” “I decide how I react” “I’m feeling…”

Adapted from Paris’ “I’ll Never do to My Kids What My Parents Did to Me!” A Guide To Conscious Parenting.

]]> Sun, 04 May 2008 04:00:00 +0000 http://earlyparenting.com/nuggets-of-goodness/eleven-quick-and-easy-ways-to-slow-it-down/ It's all a phase http://earlyparenting.com/articles/its-all-a-phase/ Remember that it’s all a phase.

This is true in parenting and partnerships and life in general.

Revel in the good ones and know that the bad ones shall pass.

]]> Tue, 29 Apr 2008 04:00:00 +0000 http://earlyparenting.com/articles/its-all-a-phase/ How can I access more? http://earlyparenting.com/articles/how-can-i-access-more/ Ask yourself everyday

How can I access
More love?
More happiness?
More connection?
More peace?

Asking and answering these questions will help keep you on a path of joy and goodness.

]]> Tue, 29 Apr 2008 04:00:00 +0000 http://earlyparenting.com/articles/how-can-i-access-more/ Abundance! http://earlyparenting.com/articles/abundance/ It’s Spring!

Take a look around.
Where do you see abundance in your life?

]]> Tue, 29 Apr 2008 04:00:00 +0000 http://earlyparenting.com/articles/abundance/ It's never too late http://earlyparenting.com/articles/its-never-too-late/ Better late than never, goes the saying.

Because it’s never too late for…

…notes of thanks, expressions of love, self care, words of gratitude, getting more rest, connecting with family, saying you’re sorry or even receiving your Nugget of Goodness.

]]> Tue, 29 Apr 2008 04:00:00 +0000 http://earlyparenting.com/articles/its-never-too-late/ Dream weaver http://earlyparenting.com/articles/dream-weaver/ Don’t live THE dream, live YOUR dream.

]]> Tue, 29 Apr 2008 04:00:00 +0000 http://earlyparenting.com/articles/dream-weaver/ Gather Your People http://earlyparenting.com/articles/gather-your-people/ Parenting is easiest when done with others.
It is hardest when done alone.

]]> Tue, 29 Apr 2008 04:00:00 +0000 http://earlyparenting.com/articles/gather-your-people/ Something different done differently http://earlyparenting.com/articles/something-different-done-differently/ Doing it different is not doing it wrong.

]]> Tue, 29 Apr 2008 04:00:00 +0000 http://earlyparenting.com/articles/something-different-done-differently/ Be where you are http://earlyparenting.com/blog/be-where-you-are/ Remember to be where you are.
Allow yourself to be with the one you’re with.
Being present with each person, each task, each place, each mood, will give us the connection we all need.

]]> Tue, 29 Apr 2008 04:00:00 +0000 http://earlyparenting.com/blog/be-where-you-are/ How can I slow my body down too? http://earlyparenting.com/blog/how-can-i-slow-my-body-down-too/ I’ve been striving lately to slow down our busy household of six people. It takes a conscious effort what with clubs and teams and school and play and beautiful spring weather that makes us just want to go, go, go. But I also know that when we do go, go, go, we are cranky, cranky, cranky. We have a little song we sing about hunger and fatigue which is sung to the tune of Bringing in the Sheaves, I think we need another one about overbooking.

We’ve been doing pretty good at the whole process – eliminating excess activities, saying no on occasion to various parties and playdates, establishing specific family times, scheduling in more time between appointments so that we can move to it more effortlessly and trying to make the time we do have together feel conscious and connected. (Conscious and connected. That should be my mantra right after empty it, fill it) I’ve even been trying to make sure that at times when there really is a tight deadline, such as on school mornings when there are four bodies to get up, fed and out the door, that I move through the routine without spiraling into a frenzied, RUSH mode. I’m not always successful at this one though and this is where my question comes in…

When I am rushing through something in an effort to try to get to the school bell or the meeting or the appointment, is there any way I can actually slow my nervous system down so that my mind can then follow? Are there any tricks I can use Carrie, that will help me regulate a little bit more in those harried, hurried moments? I know when I do slow my whole system it helps, I just don’t always know just how to do that.

]]> Tue, 29 Apr 2008 04:00:00 +0000 http://earlyparenting.com/blog/how-can-i-slow-my-body-down-too/ Family life is not fast http://earlyparenting.com/nuggets-of-goodness/nugget-of-goodness-4/ Family life is not fast.
When it becomes so, slow it down.

Pause. Breathe. Look. Listen. Connect.

Just slow it down.

]]> Fri, 07 Mar 2008 05:00:00 +0000 http://earlyparenting.com/nuggets-of-goodness/nugget-of-goodness-4/ The Slow Family Movement has officially begun! http://earlyparenting.com/blog/the-slow-family-movement-has-officially-begun/ The Slow Family Movement is a revolution in the way we think about, embrace and implement family living.

It was born out of our belief that family life is being hijacked by society’s messages that more is better, faster is greater and that you and your children are at risk of being left behind, unless you buy in NOW.

It is about allowing family life to unfold in a way that is joyfully and consciously connected. This means slowing it down, finding comfort in the home, and creating the space to see and honor the family as an entity, while simultaneously keeping sight of each member as a unique and valuable individual.

We believe that family life can serve as the incubator for deeper compassion, creativity, love, harmony, humor, appreciation, forgiveness, respect, fun, ingenuity, conflict resolution, peace, friendship, growth, communication, self-care, emotional intelligence and, perhaps above all else, true, unending and powerful joy.

As we intentionally give value and space to family life, we are thereby creating a force — with a sum greater than its parts — that can then flow out into the local and the global communities.

We hold this as truth, that the peace and the harmony we want to exist within the world, can be created within the family first, by bringing it home and lovingly, consciously and intentionally slowing life down.

]]> Sun, 02 Mar 2008 05:00:00 +0000 http://earlyparenting.com/blog/the-slow-family-movement-has-officially-begun/ Know thyself http://earlyparenting.com/nuggets-of-goodness/nugget-of-goodness-3/ Know Thyself.

Who am I? Where am I? What do I need?

The question remains the same but the answers are ever changing.

Ask it and answer it over and over and over again.

]]> Sat, 01 Mar 2008 05:00:00 +0000 http://earlyparenting.com/nuggets-of-goodness/nugget-of-goodness-3/ Choose goodness http://earlyparenting.com/nuggets-of-goodness/nugget-of-goodness-1/ Choose Goodness!

You have the power to shift your perception and reception of any given situation or person or experience. If someone comes at you negatively, your internal shift towards goodness can not only transform your own experience but possibly theirs as well. Receive it. Shift it. Give it away.

And the snowball effect is at play.

]]> Sun, 17 Feb 2008 05:00:00 +0000 http://earlyparenting.com/nuggets-of-goodness/nugget-of-goodness-1/ Feelings, nothing more than feelings http://earlyparenting.com/nuggets-of-goodness/nugget-of-goodness-2/ Nobody is making you feel how you are feeling.

Even though there are times when it seems like people and situations are making you feel what you are feeling — angry, sad, disappointed, frustrated, happy, blissful, beautiful, etc. — in actuality, nobody is making you feel how you are feeling. Your interactions with them or the circumstances of the situation may be evoking that feeling but they are not making you feel it. See the difference? If you are in a situation where you feel like someone is making you feel how you are feeling try choosing a different feeling. Or better yet, feel the feeling you are feeling without hooking it to anything outside of yourself. Just sit and be with the feeling.

You are just feeling how you are feeling. If you do not care for that feeling acknowledge it and change it; nobody owns it but you.

]]> Sun, 17 Feb 2008 05:00:00 +0000 http://earlyparenting.com/nuggets-of-goodness/nugget-of-goodness-2/ Nuggets of Goodness - And so it begins http://earlyparenting.com/nuggets-of-goodness/nuggets-of-goodness-and-so-it-begins/ Warm Greetings!

For a while now I’ve wanted to reach out to all of the parents, practitioners and friends I’ve met through my studies, work and the various life journeys I’ve made. My hope is to keep up a constant flow of connection and inspiration in our shared aspiration to live and work in more balanced, joyful and connected ways. Though sharing in real time is one of my favorite methods for reaching out and discussing what I’ve learned, I realize too that so much of what I want to share can be done via the written word. By so doing I can allow people to access it in their own good time and on their own schedules. I think we can all agree that seeking inspiration at 3 a.m. is not all that uncommon, especially in the parenting world.

In January of 2006 I met Bernadette Noll, Austin writer and mother of four, through a workshop I was doing with a Creative group. Since then, I have become a part of that group that is simply and beautifully called Goodness. We meet weekly to discuss our work as artists, designers, writers, facilitators, women and parents. We believe that conscious, compassionate connection is the very essence of Goodness; and Goodness is what we want to spread.

Through our time and work together, Bernadette and I have collaborated to create 52 “Nuggets of Goodness”. These nuggets — thoughts, anecdotes, ideas, tips and observations about healthy family living, creating community and finding more balance and joy in life — emerged out of our work together, through my practice and through Bernadette’s experience of parenting her gang of four.

The first nugget is enclosed at the bottom of this email and subsequent notes will arrive every Sunday thereafter. If for any reason you decide that you don’t want these notes appearing in your inbox please click ‘unsubscribe’ at the bottom of this page and you will be taken off immediately. If you’re in, do nothing and they’ll arrive once a week. If you know of anyone else who would like to subscribe to our weekly notes, please forward this email to them and encourage them to sign up for their own dose of weekly Goodness. Our intention is to connect with as many people as possible.

If you’d like to learn more about my practice, please visit my recently revamped and updated website, earlyparenting(dot)com, which will allow me to keep information flowing and current. Check it out for the latest on classes, book groups, and upcoming parenting events. Also, please visit my blog where Bernadette and I will engage throughout the week in a discussion of eye openers and head smackers that are revealed during our time spent providing parents, families, and each other, with compassionate guidance, leading-edge information and practical and effective tools for living.

By keeping it fresh and keeping it moving, it is our sincere hope that we can create a community through which we can all share the Goodness that lives within us and support each other in our desire for creating conscious, balanced, connected lives.

Our very best,

Carrie Contey, PhD
Bernadette Noll

]]> Sat, 16 Feb 2008 05:00:00 +0000 http://earlyparenting.com/nuggets-of-goodness/nuggets-of-goodness-and-so-it-begins/ It's all in your head http://earlyparenting.com/articles/its-all-in-your-head/ Carrie, you ask, what is my bliss? That’s a really good question and one I think can sometimes make people groan with how simplistic it sounds. I think it is that simple though and I think the misconception of it is because often the term bliss is viewed as a thing or a place when really, I think bliss is more of a mindset. The dictionary definition of bliss is: supreme happiness, utter joy or contentment. With that definition really anything we do can be our bliss as long as we choose to receive it or approach it with a certain joyfulness. And it really is just that: a choice.

The actual things that bring me joy seem to change constantly. Sometimes it’s writing, sometimes it’s laying in the yard reading while my kids play all around me, other times it’s rolling in the dirt with my kids. Sometimes it’s being alone with my husband or sewing or walking or any number of solo pursuits and sometimes still it’s being in the middle of a chaotic, crowded house. Sometimes it’s even getting all the socks and toys and STUFF picked up around our house or scrubbing the bathroom floor.

In order that I can find my bliss in whatever it is I have to do or choose to do, even if that thing is cleaning the bathroom floor, I find the setting of intentions to be a really useful tool. For me intentions are not a to-do list but rather a decision, made ahead of time, to approach or receive things in a certain way, with a certain attitude. I know that some folks choose a new intention for each and every day, and sometimes I do too – heck sometimes I have to choose a new one for each hour or minute even! Especially when the task ahead is less than exciting. Mostly though I find it really helpful for me to keep an intention for several days in a row until it actually becomes a part of who I am.

Right now, and for the past week or so, my intention has been, “I will meet each person where they are and with that in mind I will intend to meet them with compassion.” This goes for my children, partner, friends, the store clerk, heck, even myself! Because I just might need a little self-compassion when faced with the mess that four children can make.

Once my intention just becomes a part of me, I’ll know that I know. Sometimes it takes a conscious shift to create a new intention and other times the way I know is because another intention starts to present itself. With the setting of intentions as a daily practice, it really becomes easier and more clear about what I need to do to keep my mind on track with a state of bliss.

Now, I’m not saying I don’t sometimes lose it or wig out about the amount of chaos or mess or work that is all around me but I do know that with my clear intention set and mindfully kept, I can catch myself and bring myself to shift my perception or reception of the scene at hand a lot faster these days than I used to. But I guess that’s part of my bliss too. Knowing that each experience, each freak out, mess up or mishap is the chance to learn something about exactly how I’m approaching my time here on this earth. And mostly what I am doing is trying to live in the bliss and joy and contentment of it all.

In fact it may be time to move onto a new intention of making sure I really am seeing the beauty, the joy and the contentment in it all. It all has to be done anyway, why not do it from a blissful place? It’s that shift that can sometimes be difficult though, don’t you think?

]]> Thu, 14 Feb 2008 05:00:00 +0000 http://earlyparenting.com/articles/its-all-in-your-head/ Bliss, bliss and more bliss! http://earlyparenting.com/articles/follow-your-bliss/ Bern, in your last post you posed the question, “What are some ways you think people might stay in touch with living from their desired core?”
This is such a juicy question and I’ve been thinking about it all week. Before I answer your question I feel inclined to share how I define “desired core”. I see that as the part of the self that has always been there. The consciousness that preceded language and memory and walking and birth and maybe even conception. The part of us that we call essence or our authentic self or just Self, with a big ol’ S. We are integrated beings — both human and spiritual at the same time. We are here to learn and to grow and to experience all that life has to offer through our physical senses and through our relationships with family, friends, acquaintances and even strangers. The experiences we have and the connections we make and the lessons we learn all allow us to understand ourselves (both human and spiritual) better and better and better. And the more we understand ourselves
— what we love, what feels freeing, what gives us a sense of harmony, what we feel passionate about, what evokes feelings of love and peace and joy and creativity, etc. —
the more we are connecting with that desired core or authentic self or spiritual Self.

And, I believe that ultimately we are here to enjoy ourselves. To ride the ride and fully enjoy the moments while we grow and learn and play and explore and feel what it feels like to be human. The joy is what keeps us spiraling towards our desired core. I think Joseph Campbell said it best when he wrote:

“The way to find out about happiness is to keep your mind on those moments when you feel most happy, when you are really happy – not excited, not just thrilled, but deeply happy. This requires a little bit of self-analysis. What is it that makes you happy? Stay with it, no matter what people tell you. This is what is called following your bliss.”

Could it be that simple? Just follow your bliss? In fact, I can honestly say, “yes, it can be that simple.”
Now for the big question: What is your bliss?

]]> Mon, 11 Feb 2008 05:00:00 +0000 http://earlyparenting.com/articles/follow-your-bliss/ Perfect parenting http://earlyparenting.com/blog/perfect-parenting/ This blog is an ongoing discussion between Carrie and Bernadette. It’s Bernadette’s turn to type…

Hey Carrie, I’m thinking you hit that nail on the head without a doubt. (Read Carrie’s last post on Conscious Parenting) I’m also thinking a lot of people are going to start quoting you on that definition of conscious parenting. I talk to a lot of people who are of the belief that to conscious parent means you are ascribing to a certain methodology but really, as you say, it’s about being in touch with the feelings underneath it all. The feelings of the children, parents as parents and as individuals, the couple as an entity and the family as a whole. It’s easier and more free than having to follow an outline in a book because it is really at our core or, at least, what we desire our joyful core to be.

I guess for me as one of nine and as a mother of four the idea of conscious parenting is also about learning from where we’ve been and taking what we want and leaving the rest behind. Really making it ours as we want it to be. You know, the idea that the only true mistakes are ones from which we learn nothing.

I want my children to understand that too. That parenting, or living even, is not about getting it perfect each and every time but also not being afraid to say, “woops, I messed up. I’m sorry about that. I’ll try to be more aware of that next time.” Consciously admitting that there is no perfect way or perfect time or perfect kid or perfect parent.

My new favorite line, that I came up with at 3:00 a.m. while up with a sick kid, is “Perfect parenting is sporadic at best.” That’s about all it can be. Moments of being spot on and moments of recognizing that next time we’ll do it differently.

What are some ways you think people might stay in touch with living from what is their desired core?

]]> Mon, 04 Feb 2008 05:00:00 +0000 http://earlyparenting.com/blog/perfect-parenting/ She's got the letters, I've got the kids http://earlyparenting.com/blog/shes-got-the-letters-ive-got-the-kids/ I’m jumping on Carrie’s blog wagon because I just can’t not and she invited me in. I’m Bernadette Noll, writer and mother of four. Carrie and I have been collaborating quite a bit lately on a variety of different projects: classes, book groups, workshops, writing, etc. Our work together has felt so incredibly seamless that we’re going to keep it flowing until we implode with the goodness of it all. And Goodness is what we’re calling it. Named for the creative group we’re a part of that has been the inspiration for much of our collaborative efforts and for our desire to live as joyfully as we possibly can.

Part of our desire to keep it going will be played out here, in this blog, in the form of a continued conversation on the subject of parenting, partnering and life in general. In our time together there are many words that come up repeatedly: shifting, connecting, balance, and, perhaps more than any other, conscious parenting.

My first question to Carrie is about the term and the concept of conscious parenting. How do you define it in your practice? And how would you explain it to someone who was familiar with the term but unclear about its meaning?

Thanks for letting me in on this Carrie. I know I’m going to enjoy our back and forth.

]]> Tue, 29 Jan 2008 05:00:00 +0000 http://earlyparenting.com/blog/shes-got-the-letters-ive-got-the-kids/ Conscious parenting http://earlyparenting.com/blog/conscious-parenting/ First and foremost, thank you Bernadette for embarking on this adventure with me. Aside from bringing your parenting expertise (four amazing children ranging from ten to one years old) you are bringing some deep wisdom, a lot of joy and your masterful writing and co-facilitating skills to my life which I am infinitely grateful for. How did I get so lucky!?!?

And now to answer your question, how would I define conscious parenting? I would say that it’s definitely more a way of being than any sort of method or style of parenting. It’s about being awake and alive to the experience of connecting with yourself and your children in the midst of the parenting journey. It’s about seeing it as a journey in the first place with ebbs and flows, ups and downs, twists and turns, and more bodily fluids then you could ever imagine – guaranteed! It’s about using all of the moments – blissful, challenging, messy, frustrating, overwhelming, freaking out, swelling with pride, bursting with love, too tired to think, wanting to run away, can’t get close enough, wishing you could literally take just one bite of that delicious little being! – moments and using them to feel more deeply into yourself. Using your thoughts and feelings to discover who YOU are and in turn connect with and see who your children are so they can unfold into their most healthy and whole selves. Finally, it’s about constantly asking the four big questions: What do I need? What does each child need? What does our partnership need? And, what does our family need? It is certainly not about sleeping with or without your children, nursing for a certain amount of time, or doing some thing because it’s what someone else says you should do. No no, conscious parenting is about tuning in to your feelings, doing what feels right to you, finding ways to move toward balance, choosing connection, living with joy and gratitude, letting your love spill out all over the place, adopting an attitude of self-reflection, having loads and loads of compassion for yourself, your partner and your children and recognizing that there is no such thing as a perfect parent or a perfect child (and really, who would want that anyway?) and yet, when you really stop and think about it, it’s all just perfect in it’s own way.

What do you think, Bern?

Folks, please visit Bernadette’s fabulous blog. You will be glad you did.

]]> Tue, 29 Jan 2008 05:00:00 +0000 http://earlyparenting.com/blog/conscious-parenting/ This really sums it up...and makes me cry http://earlyparenting.com/blog/this-really-sums-it-up-and-makes-me-cry/ Wed, 12 Sep 2007 04:00:00 +0000 http://earlyparenting.com/blog/this-really-sums-it-up-and-makes-me-cry/ BookPeople Book Signing http://earlyparenting.com/articles/bookpeople-booksigning/ Thanks to everyone who came out on Thursday evening to celebrate the arrival of my new book, CALMS A Guide to Soothing Your Baby. There was a great turnout and the whole evening was a just a big ‘ol time.

This is me and my friend Fletcher at the event. I’ve known Fletcher’s parents Beaty and Susan for many years and I had the privilege of attending Fletcher’s birth five months ago. I have to say, book signings are fun but it doesn’t come close to watching a new friend emerge out into the world. And look at him now, isn’t he magnificent?

Thanks to Susan for taking some fun snaps that night.

]]> Sat, 25 Aug 2007 04:00:00 +0000 http://earlyparenting.com/articles/bookpeople-booksigning/ Fall 2007 Classes http://earlyparenting.com/blog/fall-2007-classes/ Here’s a list of all of the classes I will be offering this fall. Please contact me by phone (694-7794) or email to learn more or to register. Thanks!

Two New Classes…

**Fathering in the First 3 Years*
This class is for dads (only!) who are interested in learning more about parenting/early development and meeting other fathers. Please join us for a super relaxed afternoon during which time I will share some great parenting tips and answer all of your burning questions. Saturday, October 13th, 2-4pm. The cost of this class is $35/dad.

**Parenting For a Peaceful World book study group*
I believe that this book should be required reading for ALL parents. Please join me for lively discussions about the history of childhood and the evolution of parenthood, an exploration of the origins of our own core beliefs and ways to cultivate emotional intelligence in your children right from the start. This really is a MUST READ!
We will meet every other Monday from 7-9pm for six session starting Monday, October 1st. The cost for the six session class is $200/person or $375/couple.

Oldies but goodies…
For more detailed descriptions of these classes please click here

Parenting From the Inside Out book study group
This class is for parents or anyone interested in learning more about how our earliest experiences influence how we relate to ourselves and others. During our time together you will also learn invaluable skills that will enhance the relationships you have with your children, partner, friends and family.
We will meet every other Monday from 7-9pm for six session starting Monday September 24th. The cost for the six session class is $200/person or $375/couple.

Prenatal Parenting Classes
For individuals and couples in any stage or pregnancy or simply thinking about welcoming a child.
We will meet six consecutive Wednesday evenings from 7-9pm starting October 17th. The cost for the six session class is $100/person or $200/couple.

Class Series for Parents of Toddlers
I will be offering three separate classes for parents of toddlers. You can sign up for one, two or three of the classes. The cost of each individual class is $35/person $60/couple. If you sign up for all three classes the cost is $100/person $150/couple.

1. Bonding, Boundaries, Brain and Behavior: The ins and outs of your
growing toddler
Thursday, September 6th, 7-9pm (I will offer the same class Saturday, October 6th, 2-4pm)

2. Put the Oxygen Mask on Yourself First: Why parental self-care is so critical in the toddler years
Thursday, October 4th, 7-9pm

3. And Baby Makes Four: A class for parents pregnant with their second child or thinking about welcoming a second child into the family
Thursday, October 18th, 7-9pm

Over and out…

]]> Thu, 23 Aug 2007 04:00:00 +0000 http://earlyparenting.com/blog/fall-2007-classes/ What he said http://earlyparenting.com/blog/what-he-said/ excerpt from theonion.com… Clearly, a mistake has been made. For whatever reason, I have been singled out and wrongly characterized by the adult world as a “real handful.” In fact, nothing could be further from the truth.

I concede that I am something of a live wire. Given to the occasional outburst of what might in all fairness be called hyperactivity, especially in cases involving high sugar intake-of course. But the “handful” classification is problematic at best, a gross exaggeration at worst.

link to full article:
Adults Have Misclassified Me As A Handful

]]> Sun, 05 Aug 2007 04:00:00 +0000 http://earlyparenting.com/blog/what-he-said/ Our New Book http://earlyparenting.com/blog/our-new-book/ I am tickled pink to announce the arrival of CALMS A Guide to Soothing Your Baby which I co-authored with my friend and mentor Debby Takikawa.

We were lucky enough to receive a review from David Chamberlain, PhD – prenatal and perinatal psychology pioneer and author of The Mind of Your Newborn Baby. Here’s what he had to say:

“This book is the first in a series of Parenting Books flowing from the legacy of an important video which captured wide attention, What Babies Want, directed by Debby Takikawa. Innocently small and a cinch to read, this little book is a gem! Wherever you dip into it you get helpful information, a profoundly true point of view about babies, and yes, wise counsel on every page. All of it is tailor-made for new parents. The title CALMS is an acronym standing for an indispensable 5-step process which parents can use to maintain composure during the inevitable stresses and strains encountered in the first weeks of parenting after the birth. The secret method is disclosed in Part One. These steps make good sense and good psychology. The novelty and simplicity of CALMS may startle you. Part Two presents infant development information from the expanded view made possible by prenatal psychology over the last 25 years. This view brings new depth to the challenge of bonding and opens the door wider than ever to unlimited communication between babies and parents. In a series of 13 very brief messages-which are the heart of the book-the authors have packed essential information about the real nature of babies. In Part Three, three couples illustrate how they used the CALMS method to deal with the situations they faced in real life trying to soothe their babies at the outset of breastfeeding, nighttime sleep problems, and their teamwork with each other. Additional tips and resources are given in Part Four including how to cope with feelings of guilt, how to read the baby’s body language, a helpful guide to rapid development early in gestation, and a list of reliable internet sites where more information for parents is available. If new parents take this information to heart, their babies will be abundantly blessed.”

We would like to share this book with as many new parents as possible. If you would like to purchase a copy (or several copies, it makes a great gift!) please click here .

]]> Sun, 15 Jul 2007 04:00:00 +0000 http://earlyparenting.com/blog/our-new-book/ Good Thinking http://earlyparenting.com/blog/good-thinking/ I received this from Kathie Sever – innovative seamstress, incredible artist, mama of two and all around great gal. Please check out her site, Ramonsterwear, her work is amazing!

Beloved Child, You Are Wanted

Here are some things to communicate to your children every day, in your own words, and in ways that communicate from you to them:

You are wanted.

I am very happy to have you in my life.

I want you to be close with me forever.

I love you. I will always love you. Nothing will ever stop me from loving you.

You can make a difference in any situation.

Your feelings are important. I want to know how you feel, no matter what the feelings are.

You are unique and special. No one else is you.

You are precious in who you are. You don’t have to be like anyone else.

All people are alike in being intelligent, loving, cooperative, creative, and human.

The world has many, many people, each as precious as you and me.

You are strong and growing stronger. You can play rough and tumble, get hurt, and recover completely.

I may have to leave you for a short time, but I will always return. If something should happen and I get lost for awhile, I will fight my way back to you.

You matter.

You are important because you are you.

You can have lots of friends. Many people will want to know you and want you to know them. You can make a friend of anyone you choose.

You can learn anything. There’s no problem you can’t solve or skill you can’t master.

You are very smart.
You never have to be alone. You can be completely close to many people and keep them close always.

You never have to give up or stop trying on anything. You can go after your biggest dreams. No one can ever make you give up.

Trust your thinking. Listen to others and share your thinking with them. Ask questions, get all the information you need, and decide what is true and right.

You can make your own choices. You get to live the life you choose for yourself. Other people will make different choices for themselves; you get to make your own for you.

No person ever deserves to be mistreated or ignored. People only treat each other badly because they have been hurt and not listened to.

There are many problems to be solved.

Many people are hurt and unable to treat each other well. But many people are thinking about what should be done to fix things and are joining together to make things right. We will be able to set everything right, and you will be able to help us.

-Diane Shisk

]]> Sat, 12 May 2007 04:00:00 +0000 http://earlyparenting.com/blog/good-thinking/ Food for thought http://earlyparenting.com/blog/food-for-thought/ The range of what we think and do
is limited by what we fail to notice.
And because we fail to notice that we fail to notice
there is little we can do to change
until we notice
how failing to notice
shapes our thoughts and deeds.

-R.D. Laing
20th c. Scottish Psychiatrist

Thanks to my very wise and passionate friend Bettina Vaello, MD for sharing this quote.

]]> Fri, 23 Feb 2007 05:00:00 +0000 http://earlyparenting.com/blog/food-for-thought/ I Love... http://earlyparenting.com/blog/i-love/ …my new nesting bird pillows. They are from IF+D a fabulous store here in Austin owned by my dear friend Kristen.

]]> Sat, 10 Feb 2007 05:00:00 +0000 http://earlyparenting.com/blog/i-love/ Father To be http://earlyparenting.com/blog/father-to-be/ My old friend Elmer and my new friend Patrick, both currently living in England, have teamed up to create Fathers-to-Be.

Fathers-To-Be provides an environment where fathers can learn about pregnancy and birth in a way that meets their specific needs.

Bravo friends!

Patrick and I are cooking up a workshop for pregnant parents here in Austin for sometime in 2007. Patrick and Elmer are working on a booklet and a DVD. I had the privilege of catching a sneak peak of both and I can honestly say they are truly brilliant. Hurry up over there, we need these NOW!

]]> Thu, 18 Jan 2007 05:00:00 +0000 http://earlyparenting.com/blog/father-to-be/ Flower http://earlyparenting.com/blog/flower/ “Whatever you can do, or dream you can, begin it.
Boldness has genius, power and magic in it.”
-Goethe

Good night.

]]> Mon, 15 Jan 2007 05:00:00 +0000 http://earlyparenting.com/blog/flower/