3 Gentle Parenting Phrases to Have in Your Vocabulary
Welcome back to the blog! Today, we are touching base on the gentle parenting topic. It’s a topic that could literally take up an entire niche, but today I’m going to share my top three go-to phrases when putting gentle parenting into practice. Yes, even for my 10 month old. Here they are:
“You should be so proud of yourself!”
This is a phrase I am using often when it comes to Mojave. When she finally accomplishes a personal challenge she has been working on, I applaud her on it and instead of insisting on how proud I am of her (of course I am, this goes without saying), I am instilling in her the thought process that acknowledges the fact that personal belief or faith in ones own self is an important factor in this life. Yes, it is important for children to know that you, as their parent, is proud of them. But it is equally, if not more important that they realize that feeling of pride they have is not a bad thing.
I think the word “pride” carries double meaning. It’s one of those things that in order to have it, one must walk a fine rope between having too much and just enough. But when it comes to babies who don’t know any better one way or the other, this is a great way to guide them in learning that balance from an early age.
“I can’t let you have that, how about this instead?”
This comes in handy in those moments when your child is getting into something you don’t want them messing with, for whatever reason you deem valid. Too dangerous, too fragile, etc are perfectly reasonable excuses to provide, but when you are telling them no, you are also providing an alternative option. Nine times out of ten, Mojave will take the alternate because it’s one of her favorite toys, a bottle of water or something equally as interesting to her.
This is a life saver when you are out in public and don’t have the means of totally child-proofing your surroundings. PRO TIP: Just remember to bring those alternatives with you!
“Do you know how much I love you?”
This is not a cop-out, guys. Think back to your own childhood and meditate on if the quantity of “I love you”s you received is equal to the quality of life you lived. One way or the other- if you were told it a lot, you understand the significance. If you weren’t told it a lot, you understand the significance. As a rule of thumb, you can never say “I love you” too many times to your child. I tell Mojave about seven times before lunch. Not as a rule. But I can’t help myself when I look at that breathing, smiling, intelligent, beautiful miracle.
Are you a parent that practices the gentle/conscious/holistic method? What phrases would you add to the list? Find us on social media this week and let me know! And until next time,
May the road rise up to meet you!
D+Mo
