Parenting Pep Talk #36 – Little Steps

Parenting Pep Talk is a weekly series of guest posts all about encouraging other parents by sharing some of our happy moments, the advice that has worked for us and some positive words of encouragement.

 

Today’s post is from Dean who writes about motherhood and country living in Little Steps. Over to you, Dean!

1) Tell us a little bit about you and your family.

My name is Dean.  I have a six-year-old little girl whom I call T.  Together with my husband, our daughter’s pets:  A dog called, Doc and a cat named Boots, we live in a 400-year-old cottage in North Cornwall.

 

2) How would you describe your parenting style?

I parent just like my mum did, by instinct. I’ve never read any parenting books, nor do I ever feel the need to read one.  Not because I feel I know everything (I obviously don’t), but I believe all children are different, what may work for one, won’t necessarily work for the other.  As mothers, we know our kids well, more than any “expert”.  Why would I listen to someone who has never even met my child?

 

3) What’s your favourite thing about being a parent?

The unconditional love 24/7.  Every day is a gift.  I married late and had little T late.  While I would love to have another child, I’ve long accepted that maybe it’s just little T and I’m fine with that now.

 

4) What piece of advice have you been given that you found especially helpful?

Choose your battles.  I don’t remember exactly who gave me that advice, but it might have been one of my mum friends, but it’s certainly one advice I still currently follow.

 

5) What one piece of encouraging advice would you give to a new parent?

Everything is a phase (especially the difficult times) and choose your battles.  Remember, no one knows your child more than you do.

 

6) Can you share one of your favourite parenting moments?

I think it’s when little T surprises us.  As parents we all think our child is the best at what they do.  But when you hear it from someone else, it sort of validates it.  T is really shy, though I think her grandmother might be right when she said “T is not shy!  She’s reserved.”  Other kids push themselves forward in the playground or brag about what they know.  T isn’t like that. But last year, when their teacher asked for volunteers to read in front of the whole school/parents, none of the openly confident kids raised their hands, according to the teacher, only T did.  That was certainly a proud/favourite moment for my husband and I.

 

7) Anything else that you would like to share to encourage other parents?

This is one of my favourite quotes about motherhood, to be it encapsulates everything about being a parent:

 

“Sometimes when you pick up your child you can feel the map of your own bones beneath your hands, or smell the scent of your skin in the nape of his neck.  This is the most extraordinary thing about motherhood – finding a piece of yourself separate and apart that all the same you could not live without” – Jodi Piccoult

 

Thank you Dean for sharing your positive parenting moments and the advice you have found helpful.

 

You can connect with Dean on the following social networks:

Twitter
Facebook
Instagram

If you’d like to share some of your positive parenting moments on the Parenting Pep Talk, then let me know in the comments below and I’ll email you with more details.