Seedling Blog

Have you ever been caught in the act? What did you say? How did you explain what was going on? Did they buy it? Tell us all about it!

Image courtesy of Neil Driver

This blog was submitted by one of our readers, Quinn Cummings.

Thanks Quinn!

I practiced Attachment Parenting; my kid did not. She slept in our bed until the night she thrashed around so much that, sleepily, I took her into her bedroom and put her in the crib. I expected her wails to bring me back in within minutes, but she slept through until morning and demanded her crib from that night on. I offered her nursing on demand, indefinitely; “Indefinitely” turned out to mean “The minute I walk I want something I can drink from which is more portable than a breast. Unless you’d like to run alongside me while I dash around so I can nurse on the go..? Okay, then. Sippy-cup, please.”

But that’s the thing, isn’t it? The point to being a consistent presence in their lives is so our kids will, at some point, run away from us towards their future (And not just run away from us across the parking lot towards the swings). Parenting isn’t supposed to be about us, about what makes us feel good. We, the adults, have all sorts of ways to make ourselves happy and define ourselves; babies have us. I mean, they also have their feet for chewing and whatever objects strike their fancy, but parents are the sun in the baby universe. And, like the sun, they’d be awfully uncomfortable if we weren’t totally predictable. They need the luxury of taking us for granted. I understand all of that, and I am terribly proud of the independent little spirit I am lucky enough to mother. But, I must admit there were times when my daughter was little that I was just spilling over with the need to be needed and she was like, “Thanks, but I’m good.”

Has there ever been a moment when you wanted to be needed more than your baby or toddler needed you?  Did you ever look at the kid who is always in his mother’s lap and briefly wish you had one of those? Are there bedtime or separation rituals you two do which matter more to you than to your child? Share with us your thoughts!

If you would like to submit a blog or a topic for us to explore please do so at littleseedblog@gmail.com 

Image courtesy of the talented David Patrick Valera / Getty Images

Find more of Quinn Cummings on her blog www.quinncummings.com. She also has a book coming out this month from Hyperion. 

We have lost three very big icons in the last week.  Who are the icons that you most related to growing up? Who do you feel the next generation of legends are? Share your memories with us.

Sometimes as parents we snap at our kids - its not great and most of time we wish we hadn’t. Perhaps we expect too much of them or it could be that we are trying to accomplish too much ourselves and our patience runs thin. When you find yourself in a quiet moment later, you really regret having been so hard on them and wish you had it to do over again. How do you deal with it later so that it doesn’t leave a lasting impression? Is there a good way to explain that sometimes mommy and daddy get stressed out and don’t mean what they say or moreover how they said it? We all want to be the perfect parents to our kids, but sometimes that’s easier said than done.

Happy Father’s Day! Hope everyone enjoys the beautiful day with your family!

As we know Father’s Day is just around the corner! Here are some amazing products that will provide fun for dads and kids any day of the week!

Fair Trade Sports Basketball, Soccer Ball, and Football are amazing for Father’s Day everyday. Great to teach your children the beginning steps to your favorite sports. All-weather, high-grip surface means year-round play…. Eco-certified and certified Fair Trade. Union-made and vegan.

Great for the beach or even backyard, Sprig’s Eco-Trucks will provide hours of father-child play.  Made from recycled plastic and wood chips. There are also different styles!  Have fun and Happy Fathers Day!

Should we feel badly about avoiding a meltdown by telling our kids itty bitty white lies? “No honey, the toy store is closed today.” Or “We will have ice cream later on, not now.”  Except sometimes later on doesn’t actually come. Or to avoid a crushing moment “Its not that your friend didn’t want to hug you goodbye at school today, she just isn’t feeling well.” 

What are your feelings on telling white lies? Is it wrong to tell them a little lie or is it a way to get by a little easier? Are we setting our children up to tell lies in the future because they have seen us do it? Have you ever told your kid a white lie that has come back to haunt you?

One of our favorite examples of this is when recently a little girl in the store called her older sister an “Ass in the neck”! Where do they pick these things up…. You think your child is a perfect angel made of sugar and spice and then you get a call from their 1st grade teacher that your angel just used the ‘F’ word in a sentence. What zingers have your kids or their friends shared with you?

Having children can provoke us all to get emotional, beginning with the day they are born. Each day after that they are one step closer to being grown and starting their own families. There are about 1000 things in-between that mark some monumental stage in their growth. Whether it be their first word or their first step or the day they get their driver’s license, we have plenty of stuff to tear up over. What weepy moments have you had? Come on, let it all out!

Photo courtesy of (c) Paul Kline

Inspired by a video sent to me on twitter today of a soldier surprising his daughter, home early from Iraq, we put a few of our favorite military homecomings together. These brought us to tears!  Thank you to all of the families out there serving our country, who are away from loved ones in order to protect us! You inspire us always.

Soleil