Getting to Know You {Natural Parenting Blog Party}

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Hello! I'm pretty excited to join in on the Natural Parenting Blog Party. I hope to learn something from each of you and, hopefully, you'll learn a few things from me too? If you're just hopping and are not aware of this great Blog Party, head over to The Peaceful Housewife and get linked up to participate!

My first post for this party is at the suggestion of our host. I've answered all of the getting to know you questions:





How many children do you have, and how old are they?
 I have two boys. My oldest is 13 and my youngest is 2-1/2. I thought that having them 10 1/2 years apart would mean less arguing, teasing, and just plan being annoying to each other. Nope! They both dish it out to each other. Not all of the time, at least! 

Do you have a partner, or are you a single parent?
 My first husband passed away from cancer when my oldest was seven. I remarried on Leap Day, 2008.





What are your “hot button” parenting issues?
I don't have any issues with other parents unless it comes to spanking and speaking down to children. I really  don't get nasty about these things, but I do try to talk to these parents about how to do things a little differently. I'm not pushy, but I think that, sometimes, people just don't realize that there are other ways of doing things. When you grow up being raised a certain way, it can be easy to do the same with your own kids unless you know there are alternatives that work.

Have you made any parenting choices that you didn’t think you would make before you were a parent, i.e. cloth diapering a child when you had previously thought it was disgusting?
No vaccines was a big one for me. I was one of the mainstream that blindly believed all of the "facts" that are generally out there (i.e. Your kid's going to die a horrible death if you don't give him shots!!!) I learned that you have to do your own research of many, many different points of view before you can make any decisions.
Oh, and I never thought I'd breastfeed for this long! I thought that the weaning goal of 2 years was out there, but now we're going on 2 1/2 and, while little guy is slowly self-weaning, I'm not in any big hurry to get it done. I'm just waiting for him to make the decision.

Is there one book or person in particular that’s heavily influenced your parenting choices?
John Holt's How Children Learn. Made all the difference in how I interact with my kids all of the time. I really rethink the rules, how I say things, and even how we play together. It's a wonderful book that led me to want to read more of his work!






If you had to describe each of your children using only one word, what word would you use?
Oldest - Sweet
Youngest - Determined!


Is there one parenting decision that you regret more than others and wish you could change?
I wish I had never, ever allowed my oldest to get the chicken pox vaccine. It didn't work. He's got to have boosters. Now that he's hitting puberty, the risks that go along with getting the disease are high - sterilization, shingles, complications from the disease... Plus, he's going to need boosters the rest of his life to avoid getting chicken pox. How many adults keep up with their boosters on time?! I wish I had been more assertive and knew my facts (the doctor told me it was "the law" and he'd call CPS if I didn't allow it - how ignorant could I have been to believe that?!) so I could have refused the stupid shot and allowed him to just get chicken pox naturally and be done with it.

Is there an area of your parenting you wish you were better at?
I wish I could be consistent. I seem to make "Do ___ or else ____ will happen" statements that I don't always follow through on. The kids have learned that it's better to take their chances than just do what I ask. They might get in trouble if they don't listen, but odds are better if they do what they want.

Now for the fun questions – is there one particular food or type of food that you could eat every day?
Is coffee food?!





Vanilla ice cream or chocolate?
Chocolate. Regular, old chocolate - no "stuff" mixed in. I LOVE chocolate soft serve in a regular cone!

What’s your guilty pleasure?
Coffee?? LOL! I love to bake. I sometimes get hubby to play with little guy "for just 1/2 hour while I get dinner going" and then disappear into the kitchen for a couple of hours to make bread, cookies, cakes, etc.

If you could be part of any television show, which show would it be?

Hmm... Mr. Roger's Neighborhood? No, I love the guy, but I'd probably go nuts after a while. I guess I'd love to be in Alton Brown's Good Eats. This show has taught me so much! I don't even realize how much until I'm cooking and I'm suddenly adding some weird spice to my meatloaf that "sounds" good and ends up making the best meatloaf ever - turns out I got it from the show. It's like everything I've heard on the show is embedded in my memory and I don't even know it.


I'm looking forward to meeting all of your, finding some new favorite blogs, and sharing tips and ideas!

A couple of giveaways going on here, right now! If you have a minute, please head over and enter:

I have a $10 Gift certificate to Jenny's The Peaceful Housewife Shop

I am giving away a $15 gift certificate to Freckles Crafts. They have some great craft kits that include everything you could possibly need to make the project. And the prices are low - the average kit costs about $4.99.