(Mary Cassat, After the Bath)
Consistency requires you to be as ignorant today as you were a year ago.
Bernard BerensonUS (Lithuanian-born) art critic (1865 - 1959)
I LOVE this quote! There are so many "parenting experts" that insist you must be "consistent" with your children in order to raise them properly. This often translates into inflexible rules that ultimately make both parent and child miserable and do nothing to enhance their relationship or trust in one another. How much better it is to be able to say, "When I knew better, I did better." How much more reassuring is it to children to know that you will be *consistently* loving and responsive to their needs, rather than reacting with prescribed, predictable outcomes. What an awesome example to your children to show that you are always open to learning more and doing "better" in order to improve the quality of your life and theirs!
I say LET GO of all the old parenting stand-bys that so many people rest on comfortably. Dare to create a unique relationship with your children, one that *shines* as an example of the power of love to change things for the better.
4 comments:
What a wonderful perspective. What a great reflection on that quote, and Mary Cassat, too :) How fun to read all this today as a storm rolls in our way (maybe up the coast from you all!)
Love, Jessica
It's like that mom video still resonating with a new generation of moms who see it and think "that's parenting." How refreshing to realize you can let go of those "old parenting stand-bys" and have something so much richer and fuller, just by being open to change. Thanks Deanne!
Great post, you should submit that to the Unschooling Carnival, would make a great addition for December.
Awesome post! I love it, how right you are :)
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