A Reset (and welcome to new folks)
A friend said to me, you can always start again. If you drop a habit you’re trying to build, such as miss a day of meditation, or stop sending out your weekly newsletter, or stop reflecting on your role as a parent, you can start again. For me, this is a trial and reflect process, where I can proceed based on what I’ve learned.
Figuring out how to share my parenting experiences has been difficult and slowed these newsletters. How do I tell a story that captures the nuances of parenting and relationships but leaves room for further reflection? How do I describe my experiences, while being clear that every relationship is unique and solutions will be unique?
But here I am —— accepting that life allows for mistakes, dropping things, and starting again. And inviting you to reflect alongside me.
I saw a post recently listing different values we model for our kids. I reposted it with this addition: Everything. We model everything.
Even starting again is modeling.
Getting frustrated is modeling.
Giving up is modeling.
I’m not suggesting you base your behavior on what you think your kids need to see. I am suggesting that if you value an approach you’d like your kids to understand, think how that trait shows or does not show up for you.
I want Raiden to understand it’s okay to fail, to give up, to miss a deadline. To acknowledge the drop and keep going. To learn from it and try something else. To start again, if he wants to. Or to move on, when he knows it’s time. But I have to give myself that same grace.
So, here I am, starting again.
To give myself more time to develop ideas, give space to the nuances, and share stories I am excited about, I’ll send you a newsletter once a month. And I’m inviting you all to comment, add, question, challenge, and expand on my ideas. Send me your thoughts, and we can build new understandings together.
For those of you who are new here, welcome. Take a look at my intro post to learn more about what I mean when I say partnership parenting.
Let me know if you have questions or ideas.
Peace everyone,
Bria (and Raiden & Jimmy)