I’ve made my guest blogging debut over on the Attachment Parenting International blog, API Speaks, writing about What Presence Means to Me. A preview:
I can’t count the number of times that someone has told me that I need to get out of the house without my son. I’ve been told to get a regular babysitter or to put him in daycare, so that I can have time for myself. While I agree that moms do need time to themselves (I like to de-stress in a long bath with a book by my side once a week and go to dinner and a movie with friends occasionally), I am happy to share my life with my 15 month old son. (read more…)
The Carnival of Presence is also posted. There were 15 great entries on the subject of Giving Your Children Presence, including my post on How “Socialism” Helps Me Give My Child Presence. They’re having a contest over at API Speaks, and I think there’s still time to enter:
Those who participated in the carnival, linked to the carnival on their blog, and those who go out and read one of the entries below and comment on this post with their thoughts on the carnival entry they read will all get a chance to win one of the following prizes:
- Grand Prize: A one-year membership to Attachment Parenting International.
- First Prize: A set of Bless You Mom affirmation cards and a copy of Judy Arnall’s book, Discipline Without Distress.
- Honorable Mention: A copy of The Successful Child from the Sears Parenting Library.
Go check ‘em out!
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
Now as a new mom, it is interesting in figure out how our family works together and interacts. I was interested in the co-sleeping idea, but Clair already seems to have decided against that because she is such a light sleeper. She is so much happier now that she gets rest in her dark, quite room (without mom and dad waking her up all the time with their night time noises). It probably works out better that way in the end as I have always been bad at sharing my bed (even from the time I was a baby). I probably would have ended up sleeping on the couch so I can get some space. I manage to fit my husband into bed, but I have to admit that I love having the bed to myself when he’s on business trips.
I admire how much you commit yourself to Oliver, but I seem to need more alone time than you do. I shouldn’t be surprised by that as I am kind of a solitary person in a lot of ways. It makes sense that I am the same way with our daughter. Fortunately, it works out well as daddy likes to have time alone with her, so I can get some of the time I need. He also gets his time alone to work out or just chill out. I am still looking forward to having the apartment to myself at some point, but at the moment , I’ll take a full apartment with daddy spending quality time with his girl while I have some down time.
I totally agree on integrating the baby into family meal time rather than creating some kind of second meal time just for baby, which includes different foods than mom and dad. I hope we can manage that once food becomes part of her day. Oliver is such a good example that we might use you guys as role models too
Every family has to find what fits them best. I’m a bit surprised that I don’t mind spending so much time with Oliver, as I was someone who needed “me” time before.