Simple Parenting

In my efforts to give my children the best, I think I've failed on many counts. What is the best? Who defines this? Which parenting book do we choose to follow, since there are different camps of parenting styles? See, I cannot ever decide which route is the best, and so my mind constantly flip flops from one option to the next.

A friend posted this link about "Simplicity Parenting" on her Facebook wall:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/abi-cotler-oroarty/parenting-simplifying_b_829503.html?ref=fb&src=sp&comm_ref=false

I like that it talks about raising calmer, happier and more secure children. The more I read articles and books about parenting, the more I'm convinced I want to raise children to be secure, curious and passionate about life and about whatever craft they choose to be involved in. My role as a parent has to be to raise them to achieve their own personal best and maybe push them a little more. So regardless of what they want to do, they have to be passionate about it. If they were to choose to be truck drivers, then my job would be to motivate and encourage them to be the best. I like that the author (Kim John Payne, M.Ed) of the book  "Simplicity Parenting: Using the Extraordinary Power of Less to Raise Calmer, Happier and More Secure Kids." describes childhood as an unfolding experience, rather than an enrichment opportunity - which he likens to an arms race. I couldn't agree more.

I also like that the final words of the book ask us as readers to simply begin, implying that we should stop worrying and fretting about how to get to our final destination.

So having read this article, I would say that at the very least, I have a clearer picture of which camp I'm in. Fret not? That's a tough call for me. Fret less, possible :)

Bye for now! See you later, alligator!