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In my #GentleDiscipline book I talk about the problem of a #naturedeficit and how spending less time in nature is negatively affecting our children, both physically (their eyesight is getting worse as a result) and emotionally (more difficult behaviour). Children today are far more likely to be able to identify corporate logos, than they are tree and wildflower species. Nature words are disappearing from their vocabulary at an alarming rate as they spend far much more time indoors, in play centres and in front of screens. Simply, our kids need to get outside more - and so do we. Especially if we want to protect what little nature is left on our planet. We need to raise kids who treasure it! . Forests played a huge role in my own upbringing, one of my favourite possessions was my tree spotting book - I can still name almost every species of tree, just by looking at its leaves, or bark. If I didn’t write books, my dream job is to work as a gardener. Forests make me feel calm and revitalise me more than any other landscape (and I spent the first five years of my life growing up on the coast). They have played a large role in my kids’ lives too - we make full use of our @nationaltrust passes and are lucky to live close to a beautiful large ancient, protected forest and we’ve been on many @forestholidays as a family. We were lucky that their school run weekly forest school sessions too (though the need for forest school makes me feel sad). . Children today need to climb more trees, have more conker fights, play with sycamore aeroplanes, make fairy tea parties with acorn cups, gather more blackberries and eat them straight from the bush, make more daisy chains and leaf prints, dissect owl pellets, play in mud, collect forest treasures and breathe more fresh air. This little book has lots of great ideas if spending time in forests isn’t second nature to you - or your kids. . . . #foresttherapy #forestschool #naturekids #wildkids #naturematters #wildings #wildthings #hugatree #gentleparenting #naturalparentingSo much truth in this. It doesn’t matter what brand of clothes your kids are wearing, when they slept through the night, when they potty trained, when they start reading, how many words they know, what you do today and how many tantrums they have. What matters is that they are loved and accepted for who they are.....and that means starting with accepting yourself and all that you offer to them. Forget the superficial stuff and focus on the love 💕💕 . . . #gentleparenting #gentlediscipline #gentlesleep #positiveparenting #attachmentparenting #naturalparenting #bedsharing #cosleeping #unconditionalparenting #mindfulparenting #mindfulmotherhood #toddlercalm #babycalm #sarahockwellsmith #parentingtipsI came across a tweet by @neildegrassetyson this week, saying “Scientists are simply adults who retained and nurtured their native curiosity from childhood” and it reminded me of this picture of my daughter when she was a toddler. She had found a bottle of sun cream (a baby one, so that thick, sticky greasy white stuff) and tipped the whole lot out over herself and my rug. . My first instinct was to yell, angry that she’d wasted a whole bottle of expensive cream and ruined my rug too. Then I paused, she hadn’t been deliberately naughty. She was experimenting, being naturally curious about the properties of the cream and how she could manipulate it. She was actually being pretty darn clever. There was no malice or manipulation behind her actions, just curiosity. Now, 9 years on, she’s a fantastic scientist and still as curious as ever. . I could have shouted and chastised her on this day, but instead I decided to see the good in what she’d done. I snapped the picture for posterity, held my tongue while I spent *hours* cleaning her, her dress and the rug and learned that I needed to be cleverer about where I kept the sun cream in future 😉 . . . #gentlediscipline #gentleparenting #positiveparenting #positivediscipline #attachmentparenting #naturalparenting #mindfulparenting #mindfulmothering #toddlercalm #sarahockwellsmithWishing you all the strength you need to get through this week 😘 . . . #monslay #mondaymotivation #gentleparenting #attachmentparenting #positiveparenting #mindfulparenting #mindfulmotherhood #mindfulmothering #parentinginspirationTop Posts & Pages
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Tag Archives: parenting expert
The Three Biggest Mistakes Parents Make When Disciplining Children
It doesn’t matter if you’re an authoritarian parent, hot on punishment and reward, or a gentle parent, focused on connection and empathy. Your kid is going to misbehave. Because that’s what they do….. Continue reading
Why Common Discipline Methods Don’t Work (and What to do Instead)
most common discipline methods focus on encouraging children to do and be better, so that they are motivated by rewards if they behave ‘well’ and punishments if they misbehave. This would seem sensible, but it makes one huge mistake. Continue reading
Gentle Parenting – You Mean ‘Hippy, Pushover Parenting’? Busting Ten Gentle Parenting Myths.
…if people ask me to explain gentle parenting in a nutshell I always say the same “treating children how we would like to be treated ourselves”. To this day I don’t understand why it is so controversial, except perhaps that we don’t treat ourselves very well? Continue reading
Posted in Babies, Mothering, Preschoolers, Teens, Toddlers, Tweens
Tagged childcare expert, discipline techqniques, gentle discipline, gentle discipline book, gentle parenting, gentle parenting book, gentle parenting expert, how to discipline, natural consequences, parenting expert, positive discipline, positive parenting, problem with naughty step, problem with time out
2 Comments
Using Consequences as a Discipline Tool
Consequences can be an effective discipline tool when used mindfully and carefully. Sadly consequences can also be ineffective and even damaging, depending on how and when they are used. There also seems to be a lot of confusion surrounding the use of consequences as a form of discipline. The largest source of confusion seems to be that of the difference between natural and logical consequences, something I hope to clear up in this post. Continue reading
Posted in Teens, Toddlers, Tweens
Tagged child development expert, childcare expert, consequences, examples of logical consequences, examples of natural consequences, gentle discipline, gentle parenting discipline, logical consequences, natural consequences, parenting expert, parenting expert UK, sarah ockwell-smith discipline, the gentle discipline book, what are natural consequences
The Gentle Sleep Book – 13-24 month (1-2 year) old toddler sleep Q&As.
On the first Wednesday of every month I run a free Sleep Q&A session on my Facebook Page for ‘The Gentle Sleep Book’. I often find that the questions that are asked are repeated quite frequently and there tend to be … Continue reading
Posted in Toddlers
Tagged baby can't sleep, baby sleep advice, baby sleep coach, baby sleep expert, baby sleep expert uk, baby sleep specialist, baby won't sleep, child sleep expert, child sleep expert uk, gentle parenting sleep, gentle sleep advice, gentle sleep book, gentle sleep coach, gentle sleep training, night weaning, parenting expert, parenting expert UK, sarah ockwell-smith sleep, the baby expert, toddler can't sleep, toddler doesn't sleep through the night, toddler wakes lots, toddler won't go to bed, toddler won't sleep
6 Comments
The Gentle Sleep Book – 7-12 month old baby sleep Q&As.
On the first Wednesday of every month I run a free Sleep Q&A session on my Facebook Page for ‘The Gentle Sleep Book’. I often find that the questions that are asked are repeated quite frequently and there tend to be … Continue reading
Posted in Babies
Tagged 4 month old won't sleep, 5 month old won't sleep, AP, babies, baby can't sleep, baby expert, baby sleep advice, baby sleep coach, baby sleep consultant, baby sleep expert, baby sleep expert uk, baby sleep help, baby sleep trainer, baby sleep training information, baby won't sleep, fourth trimester, gentle sleep book, gentle sleep training, help with babies sleep, help with baby's sleep, how to get my baby to nap, how to get my baby to sleep, newborn baby won't sleep, newborn sleep, newborn sleep advice, night weaning, parenting expert, parenting expert UK, sleep
6 Comments
Ten Common Baby Parenting Myths You Might Believe (and why you shouldn’t).
There are so many parenting myths in circulation in society. I’m sure you’ve come across many yourself. Many of them are obviously myths and therefore easy to ignore. Others however seem far more ingrained and sound more plausible. Their plausibility and popularity cause a great deal of misunderstanding, and often stress, for vulnerable new parents. Continue reading
Posted in Babies
Tagged baby myths, baby sleep expert, baby sleep myths, baby sleep training, baby teething myths, baby teething signs, baby teething symptoms, baby weaning myths, does my baby have colic?, dream feeding, dreamfeeding, health visitor training, How can I get my child to sleep more?, How can I help a teething baby?, How can I help my baby to sleep better?, how do I get my child in a bedtime routine?, how long should my baby sleep for?, parenting expert, parenting expert UK, parenting myths, the baby whisperer, tracy hogg, what is colic?, when should I wean my baby?
32 Comments
5 Reasons Modern-Day Parenting is in Crisis – According to a British Mother
A few days ago the HuffPost posted this article: 5 Reasons Modern-Day Parenting is in Crisis – According to a British Nanny and social media has been awash with horrified responses ever since. I must admit the article made me feel a little … Continue reading
Posted in Mothering, Preschoolers, Toddlers, Tweens
Tagged 5 reasons modern day parenting is in crisis, baby expert, baby expert UK, baby sleep expert, british nanny parenting, Emma Jenner, huff post, huffington post, parenting expert, parenting expert UK, supernanny. problems with modern day parenting, uk baby expert, uk parenting expert
16 Comments
Is it Time for a New Approach to Paediatric Eczema?
I have specialised in working with babies and children with eczema – and other skin conditions – for the past 10 years. first as a research analyst in a large Pharmaceutical company – working with off licence immuno suppressive drugs and latterly as … Continue reading
Posted in Babies, Preschoolers, Toddlers, Tweens
Tagged alternatives to steroid creams for eczema, baby balm sunscreen, baby eczema, baby eczema UK, baby expert, baby suncream, Beauty, calendula cream for eczema, childhood eczema, Coconut oil, coconut oil for eczema, dry skin baby, dry skin newborn, Eczema, Health, mineral oils, natural eczema treatments, natural treatments for eczema, newborn eczema, oat baths, organic baby shampoo, organic baby suncream, parabens, parenting expert, petro-chemicals, pharmacovigilance, Shopping, Skin Care, Skin Conditions (Headway Healthwise), Skin Disorders, SLS, toddler eczema, wet wrapping
22 Comments
