Anyone who spends time with young children will tell you they crave independence, and thrive on being able to do things for themselves. Responding to children's natural drives is exactly what our ECE settings should be doing, but sometimes misinterpretation leads us to ‘miss the mark’.
Soul food - 'me time' that lifts the soul
"Me time" is lauded as a parent saviour, the key to ensuring that Mama mental health in particular, is given some priority.
At face value it seems like a great concept, this 'time out'. In actual fact, this apportioned time can exasperate the feelings of loneliness, overwhelm and endless giving we are trying to escape from.
I hear you - I am with you and your voice matters
“I hear you”. These three short words convey an enormous amount of respect, and concisely capture the very essence of parenting from the heart.
Long before our children can articulate their feelings in words, we can choose to hear what they are telling us. Our newborn’s cries alert us to the fact they need something from us.