I remembered watching Five Children and It when I was younger, so when I spotted the book in a charity shop, I bought it. To be honest, Five Children and It felt a bit dull to me, though the kids enjoyed it—especially when I put on a deep rasping voice for the Psammead. They seemedContinue reading “Five Children on the Western Front: A Touching Tale of Love, War, and Gentle Parenting Lessons”
Tag Archives: gentle
Poem: What I Tell My Children
Sometimes, the stories we carry from our own childhoods are a tangled mix of light and shadow. When my young kids asked me to share my earliest memories, I found myself walking a delicate line — wanting to protect their innocence while honouring the truth of my past. This poem is a glimpse into thoseContinue reading “Poem: What I Tell My Children”
Hold Onto Your Kids: An Ode to Dr. Gordon Neufeld
Why I Hold Onto Dr. Gordon Neufeld’s Wisdom: A Poetic Tribute In a world where childhood often feels overshadowed by peer pressure and social calendars packed with endless play dates, it can be challenging to share a different perspective on what children truly need to thrive. For over two decades, Dr. Gordon Neufeld has beenContinue reading “Hold Onto Your Kids: An Ode to Dr. Gordon Neufeld”
Poem: Strings and Wings
For much of my life, I felt like a puppet—my actions dictated by fear, perfectionism, and a constant urge to please. Growing up in an authoritarian home where affection was conditional and expectations unyielding, I learned early to silence my true self for the sake of harmony and approval. It took years of struggle, loss,Continue reading “Poem: Strings and Wings”
Breaking the “Don’t Care” Habit: Our Journey to Raising Caring Kids
My young children were so caring-worried about whether we might accidentally tread on a passing ant, always showing concern to each other or animals in particular. But almost overnight, it seemed, they became 6- and 8-year-olds with a new favourite phrase: “I don’t care!” The empathy I cherished seemed to vanish, replaced by indifference andContinue reading “Breaking the “Don’t Care” Habit: Our Journey to Raising Caring Kids”
Bringing Pinocchio to Life: A Magical Read-Aloud Experience for Kids
When my oldest daughter was about four or five years old, I wanted to find a chapter book version of Pinocchio for her. We had already enjoyed some shorter adaptations of the story, but I was eager for her to experience the full magic of the tale. Growing up, I was enchanted by Disney’s classic Pinocchio film, and IContinue reading “Bringing Pinocchio to Life: A Magical Read-Aloud Experience for Kids”
Guinea Pigs Take the Stage: An Emotional Adaptation of Romeo & Juliet for Kids
A Guinea Pig Romeo & Juliet was one of the first guinea pig books we had read together. I sought out stories featuring guinea pigs to create a special connection with my children, especially after we recently welcomed two new guinea pigs into our family home. We home educate our three children, and when weContinue reading “Guinea Pigs Take the Stage: An Emotional Adaptation of Romeo & Juliet for Kids”
The Good Enough Parent by School of Life Book Review
I’m honoured to have been offered The Good Enough Parent book to write a review about before it’s released. The title was very exciting for me whilst I waited for it to arrive. I imagined it to fill me with confidence that our kids will still turn out happy enough without us being perfect. MyContinue reading “The Good Enough Parent by School of Life Book Review”
Life Changing Question: Who Should We Hang Out With?
This feels like the first life changing question my gut instinct doesn’t help me answer. Is it beneficial to hang around with other people who are not gentle in parenting or teaching style? Will exposing my 3 young children to, in my opinion, unhealthy emotional or physical situations cause any harm? On the flip side,Continue reading “Life Changing Question: Who Should We Hang Out With?”
I Managed To Take 3 Young Children Out Alone, Safely
We finally did it! I managed to safely take our 4 year 3 month old, and 2 year 7 month old twins out alone. Why? How? What would I do differently? Most importantly, would I do it again? This blog post answers these questions. What Stopped Me Going Out When the twins were newborn andContinue reading “I Managed To Take 3 Young Children Out Alone, Safely”
Gentle Parent 