falling short « Raising My Boychick

The unbearable lightness of being three

It was so much easier when he was younger. So much easier when I could give of myself with a breast, through my motherhood made liquid for only him. It was so much easier when I could meet his needs for comfort, for inclusion, for belonging, for stimulation by tossing him on my back, and [...]

Parents: No, you do not have to Try Your Very Best

I’ve run across this a thousand times before, but here’s the most recent example which inspired the following (no, I’m not linking):

[Parenting] is a job in which you need to put forth your very best effort.

admonishes one parent to another (who apparently isn’t meeting the author’s standards).

This? Is such bullshit.

Yes, our parenting choices matter. No, [...]

A good grumpy day

I was really grumpy today.

The Man is in his fourth week of mandatory overtime, and I’m very very tired of him being very very tired and us having no time together, but that wasn’t why I was grumpy.

The kid has entered the most aggravating contrarian phase, where he automatically disagrees with whatever we say, even [...]

I quit the world today

It’s been one of those days.

One of those days when something goes wrong, and suddenly everything else goes wrong too — because children pick up on moods, because the ability to cope has been drained and then some, because half-broken beds can stand up to daily use but not fuck-I’m-having-a-shit-day attacks.

The most proximal reason for [...]

Choosing Joy

This post is written for inclusion in the Carnival of Gentle Discipline hosted by Paige @ Baby Dust Diaries. All week, April 26-30, we will be featuring essays about non-punitive discipline. See the bottom of this post for more information.

Here is what I do not do: I do not spank the Boychick. I [...]

Reply-turned-post: teaching patience

I wrote this in response to one of the Carnival of Natural Parenting posts (Seeking Patience by Earth Mama), who asked:

My children are healthy, well adjusted and happily bonded to us but they are still children. They are still experiencing all the aches and pains that come from the process of growing up. They have [...]

It seems inevitable

Just enough of my persistent-not-exactly-optimism is left that I won’t say it is inevitable… but damn does it seem it.

It seems inevitable that whenever I have a day of wow-I-totally-get-this-parenting-thing, look-at-me-be-zen-about-his-tantrums, damn-dude-why-can’t-you-just-let-it-go-like-I’m-doing, the next day — the very next day — I completely fucking lose it. Break-a-plate-in-anger-when-he-dumps-out-the-eggs-he-doesn’t-want lose it.

I don’t like it. Maybe the zen [...]

Invitations, Not Resolutions

Welcome to the January Carnival of Natural Parenting: Parenting
resolutions!

This post was written for inclusion in the monthly Carnival of Natural Parenting hosted by Hobo Mama and Code Name: Mama. This month we’re writing about how we want to parent differently — or the same — in the New Year. Please read to the end to [...]

One foot, alone

I don’t have very good balance. I sprained my ankles a lot as a kid, and now (consequence? cause?) I cannot stand well or long on one foot without falling over. I do just fine with both feet under me, or trading feet rapidly when walking or running. I’m not constantly falling over. But ask [...]

WFPP Guest Post: My Kid Loves a Kyriarch

The Womanist/Feminist Parenting Primer has been honored with the following contribution from Ruth, who blogs at Look Left of the Pleiades and the group blog Mothers for Women’s Lib.

In this piece, Ruth discusses her experience raising a child with a white cis man who hasn’t explored his privileges and doesn’t wish to, who actively perpetuates [...]

Search Raising My Boychick

Categories

Archives