Tossing ideas around

I had great intentions for this blog when i started it up, years and years ago. But we moved, didn't have an internet connection for about five years, and by then, I'd long ago given up on the whole "mommy blog" phenomenon.

But my kids are half grown or better now, and the strangest thing is happening...old friends are actually having kids now (on purpose...it's the weirdest thing), and some of them are wondering how i did it, all those years ago. Well...honestly, it was a lot of trial and error. But there's no reason I can't share my experiences in an effort to help others, even if I only help them to see that there's no shame in doing it the hard way sometimes.

Spoiler: the kids will turn out ok, no matter what you do, so long as you're parenting with love.

But I've got plenty of opinions and anecdotes on the subject, and will happily share them here. I also welcome discussion in the comments, as well as questions and subject requests.

Unsolicited Advice

We've all been in situations where well-meaning friends or relatives, or even random old women in grocery stores, felt the need to hand out pearls of wisdom in regards to parenting.  Many times, the advice is terribly outdated, or at severe odds with our own lifestyle and values. 

The internet is full of tips on matching these unwanted encounters with either vitriol or gracious acceptance, and everything in-between.  There are message board threads and blog entries full of horror stories and snappy comebacks. 

But what about our own tried-and-true methods?  How often do we find ourselves tempted to stand over a new mother's shoulder in a department store, and suggest she try holding her fussy baby 'just so,' only to have a sudden flashback to a time when we were new to the game and would have bitten the hand of anyone who had dared something like that with us?

So my goal is simple: to compile and share anecdotes, links, resources, and life experiences for anyone that does want some advice.  It will be here, safely tucked away (and hopefully easy to reference) for future use.  And it will serve a dual purpose as an outlet for my own *ahem* pedagogy.