Such a Good Piece on Parenting Toddlers

[Pestle]

This link should work for you for 14 days after I posted it. I get gift articles that work without the paywall for a limited amount of time.

https://wapo.st/3GPeD3B

I love three things about this article: first, it tells parents that feeling super-duper enthused about every darn thing about their child is not a good goal, and that parents are people, too. Second, it tells parents that parenting is not about centering your daily life around your child; it's about demonstrating daily life to your child. And third, it tells parents that if you are feeling bad all the time about parenting, that may be a symptom of another problem.

[Blackcat31]

Good reading! My takeaways from this article:

Get outside whenever physically possible.

Sunlight, fresh air, exercise and nature provide most 2-year-olds with almost everything they need to be happy.
Playing outside works their gross and fine motor skills, perks up their imagination by allowing them to create their own toys out of sticks and more, makes them tired (meaning great naps) and leads to good eating thanks to their burned energy. Win, win, win.

Run errands with little ones

Living your regular life is what is meant to happen. In fact, it isn’t developmentally needed for you to just attend to your child all day; your preschooler is watching and learning while you talk to your neighbors, the librarian and the people in the dry-cleaner’s. The frustration your little one may experience is also good for them.


Finally, let’s remember that nature didn’t design humans to raise our offspring in isolation.

For most of history, people were with their extended families, and the burden of raising children would have been shared with fellow siblings, aunts and cousins. Someone else is meant to help you. Family, a mother’s helper, a neighbor, a local preschool, a co-op, a nanny share: All of these types of support are there, so you can actually enjoy and treasure your children.


Your life is not meant to revolve around your child

[flyingjewels]

Oooo I like this! I wish I had read this with my first child.