6. Parenting Paradigms

Talking about how we raise our children can be a highly emotive – even moralistic – conversation. It feels deeply personal because of our relationships with our children, and the high investment (in every sense of the word) so many of us put into childrearing. Why this topic can be emotive is also connected with the ways motherhood sets us up for comparison, judgement, and critique – from both others and ourselves. Society sees the terms ‘woman’ and ‘mother’ as almost synonymous, and with these associations come expectations. This episode delves into different parenting styles with these connections in mind, recognizing that part of the complexity of our individual histories and circumstances, means that we will all likely fit into EVERY parenting box at one stage or another. Authoritative, attachment, free range, slow, gentle, RIE, aware, hand-in-hand, and parenting by connection. I delve into these through discussing research evidence, cultural reflections, and personal anecdotes. If you would like to learn more about conscious mothering, head on over to my blog: https://drsophiebrock.com/2019/10/04/consciousmotheringselfgrowth/