Summary

The website content describes a grandmother's observations of her granddaughter's modern parenting approach, emphasizing patience, gentleness, and understanding in raising her two young sons.

Abstract

The article titled "Here is how today's mom & dad raise their sons!" recounts a grandmother's visit to her granddaughter, who is navigating the challenges of motherhood with two sons aged two years and four months. The granddaughter, despite the exhaustion and frustration that come with constant caregiving, employs innovative methods such as music, positive attention, and involving her children in activities to soothe and engage them. She rejects strict discipline, instead opting for kindness and gentleness, and has found success in understanding and addressing the root causes of her children's behaviors. Drawing from her readings, including Daniel Siegel's "The Whole-Brain Child" and Don and Jeanne Elium's book on raising sons, she believes in the importance of physical closeness and bonding during a child's early years. The article also includes personal anecdotes and a heartfelt poem penned by the young mother, reflecting on the fleeting nature of her children's early years and the desire to cherish every moment.

Opinions

The granddaughter believes in the power of kindness and gentleness over strict discipline.
She advocates for constant contact and carrying the baby during the first year to foster comfort and security.
Positive attention and distraction techniques, such as involving children in activities like planting flowers, are preferred over punishment.
The young mother values the bond with her children, which she believes helps her understand and meet their needs effectively.
She is influenced by literature on child psychology and development, particularly the works of Daniel Siegel and Don and Jeanne Elium.

Here is how today's mom & dad raise their sons!

A story from a grandmother.

My granddaughter with her babies on 4/22

So, I paid a visit to my granddaughter, who has two young sons; a two-year-old toddler and a four-month-old.

Wow! talk about stamina, patience, go, go, go, all the time. I was exhausted just watching her caring for her babies.

So finally, when the babies take a nap, We find a little time over a late lunch to have a conversation.

I want to know!

How is she coping, does she get frustrated, and what has she learned as a young mother?

Yes, there is frustration from lack of sleep & the inability to solve the toddler's temper tantrums causes tears & sadness at times.

But contrary to what folks advised about strict discipline, she found that taking both babies out in a stroller and playing soft, comforting music from her iPhone calmed her boys, & soon they were quiet & asleep.

She believes in kindness & gentleness.

(Never spank! never yell! or show irritation.)

Alternatively, she gives positive attention, figures out the root of the frustration, then solves it by distracting the issue by getting the toddler to help his dad plant flowers or play with his baby brother or his kitty.

Oliver helps Dad plant flowers — the author's picture.

Oliver loves his baby brother - the author's picture.

The high-energy toddler's issue with eating at mealtimes is solved by playing games & involving his favorite pet kitty to sit next to him during a meal.

The toddler eats best when his mom or dad sits with him at mealtimes.

So, what is the biological force behind such behavior, I inquire?

This mom is a reader! She is in tune with the forces affecting her sons' behavior, especially the toddler since he needs most of the attention.

She quotes information she reads from Daniel Siegel's book, "The Whole-Brain Child," & Don & Jeanne Elium's book on "Raising a Son."

She reveals what she has come to understand.

In the beginning, boys need closeness. Therefore, she believes in carrying her baby for the first twelve to fourteen months.

Babies are comforted by the constant contact of their parents' arms & bodies. Contrary to older folks' beliefs, the child's natural need for closeness will not spoil the infant.

She believes her babies need their parent's arms until they are old enough to explore the world through crawling and walking.

Parenting is very hard. Parents sacrifice sleep, careers, quiet times as a couple, sex, dinner dates & other luxuries.

This mama believes that she knows her child's every need because of the strong bond with her children.

I will share a heartfelt poem she wrote to express her feelings about her baby.

For My Littlest

A poem by Jill Crawford

I wrote this little poem while rocking my youngest to sleep one night. They say children don't keep, and isn't that the truth!

I don't know how to memorize the way your hand feels on my chest

or the way your little breaths sound when you're sleeping, and you're happy

I can't seem to remember intensely enough how soft your little hairs are

or how snugly you settle when I sing you to sleep

And baby, you already started smiling!

You started laughing and rolling!

I wish I were a sponge with all these open-air pockets to fill with you

to remember vividly little and big things about you being so small

and tender

I wish I had more to rely on than my filmy memories, photos, and clothing

from you being so small

and tender

So I won't let you go, and you'll grow in my arms just like your brother did

until you are spilling out of them

and running down our hallways with my heart."

Below is the Photo she published.

Jill Crawford

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1 min read

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View on Medium

Also, read Children & Roses

Jill Crawford <[email protected]

Thank you, readers, for reading my article.

I am exceptionally proud of this young couple.

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