Sometimes I don’t explain all the different terms that I use in my writing and I often forget that not everyone has come across them before so here is where I will be listing them as I am made aware of them so that everyone knows what the hell I’m talking about! PLEASE email me if there is something that you are not familiar with and would like to know what I mean by it!
Authentic Parenting/Conscious Parenting:
This refers to a particular philosophy about child-rearing that focuses on developing a healthy and emotionally intelligent relationship with our children. It is based on the premise that children are people deserving of compassion and respect within their family life as much as everyone else and that it is our responsibility as parents to demonstrate healthy behaviors that support their growth. It requires much introspection and accountability on our part about our own personal growth and life choices and how it affects our families. It is a lifestyle that works in conjunction with the Attachment Parenting philosophy.
Attachment Parenting:
The best place to learn about this approach to parenting is at Attachment Parenting International where they list in detail what it is all about. But in a nutshell it is: “The essence of Attachment Parenting is about forming and nurturing strong connections between parents and their children. Attachment Parenting challenges us as parents to treat our children with kindness, respect and dignity, and to model in our interactions with them the way we'd like them to interact with others.” – API
(Often this philosophy is confused with Permissive Parenting because of a lack of understanding about its principles but they are as different as night and day)
Mindful Awareness:
This one is a little vague but it refers to a practice or a way of perceiving life by paying attention fully in each moment. It is about noticing our thoughts and automatic reactions within our daily living and letting go of our emotional ties to them so that we can develop the ability to function from a more stable base. It is a way of taking note of unhealthy behaviors within ourselves and changing them by observing them and then tracing them to their underlying causes and healing them from there. It is also about fully living in each moment to really cherish all those little things that bring us happiness in life.
