“Babies don’t come with a manual.” This is a phrase we’ve all heard before in some variant or another and is unfortunately true, despite overflowing ‘parenting’ sections in bookshops and the wealth of advice readily available online. It seems that, like with advertising, we are so saturated that we ultimately take very little in.
With full knowledge that there are already 1001 ways to raise one’s children, I fully intend to use a significant portion of this blog to add to this mass of information by telling our parenting story. “Why?” I hear you ask. In the grand scheme of things, though we have not been parents for a very long time, I feel we have something to offer. I’m hoping it might guide any overwhelmed new parents, be a helping hand or alternative for any fellow ‘experienced’ parents and also be a bit of entertainment on the days when everything goes wrong!
“Everyone hates a know-it-all” is another one, but both our littles slept 8-9 hour nights from 9 weeks old, G enjoys eating everything from Stilton and spinach to Vegemite and dark chocolate, and she has extended periods of independent play (without trashing the house!). This sounds fantastic and, well, it is, but it is not because we ‘got lucky’. It’s because we made some hard choices and stuck with them from Day 1.
Here’s a taster of what can you expect from this section of A Life With Littles. I don’t believe that teaching your child to sleep need be either Crying-It-Out or Bed-Sharing, that any child is born a picky eater or that children should never swear. I do believe a child can be taken out for meals and not cause a scene and that kids should come second to your relationship. All this, while remembering that play is a child’s top priority.
“It takes a village to raise a child.” I hope you will follow along and share your stories with me; parenthood really ought be the closest community after all.
Until next time,
Jaide x
A Life With Littles 