Parenting advices with Marissa Anastasi: Be the person you needed as a kid. I want to be my little girls’ number one fan, and always listen and support her. I always loved having aunts and sisters that would encourage and help direct me through life’s struggles and special moments. At the age of 18, your child will know how to roll, crawl, feed themselves, speak, walk, sleep in their own beds etc. So don’t stress if they’re not doing these things at the same time as everyone else. They’ll get there in their own time.
Do Less. “Most mamas in today’s culture think they are supposed to be busy doing so much for their children… What babies need more than anything is a present and self-aware mama who is gentle with herself and grounded,” says Dr. Colleen Crowley, a mother, child psychologist, and co-founder of Brushies. “This grounded presence is what helps wire a baby’s brain for the rest of their life,” she adds. What babies need more than anything is a present and self-aware mama who is gentle with herself and grounded. Sometimes It Really Is Just a Phase. “This is for real, so say it to yourself over and over and over. They won’t go to college with a soother. They will stop waking up three times a night. They will eat with a fork. So take it for what it is and don’t try and rush your littles ones through and age or stage; you’ll look back and wish you hadn’t,” Jen Kelly and Becca Perren, mothers and founders of Pehr advise.
Listen. Yeah, yeah, everyone says to listen. But you need to REALLY listen. Listen to the point that you can ask intelligent questions. Listen to the point that you know when your daughter has a certain smile on her face that she has a crush on a boy and you can discern from your conversations with her just who that boy is. Listen to what your child says and ask questions ON THEIR LEVEL, not “parental” questions. A question on their level would be, “What is the name of Seether’s new song again? I keep forgetting.” A parental question would be, “That boy in that band dresses all in black and wears eyeliner, you need to find someone else to like.” Discover a few extra info at Motherhood advices.
Having the privilege to nourish, nurture, teach and watch your child grow. It’s a surreal, rewarding, challenging experience that I love. It has given me a deeper appreciation for my own Mom and given me new confidence and purpose. I love surprise cuddles, the presentation of flowers picked on a walk and given with wide eyes and a beaming smile. When he masters a new skill and the pride and excitement of that. When you suddenly realize that you have become something of a cross between a superhero, warrior, full of love woman and you cannot possibly imagine any other experience transforming you in the way that being a Mom has done.
My blog is really about my passions in life and my struggles and it’s probably the same for many people. I feel like I could share a lot of experiences, good and bad and blogging also gives me a platform to share moments in our ever-changing life from babies, young kids to teenagers. There’s a mixture of topics, not just motherhood but lifestyle, house design, fashion, travel. I’m passionate about supporting small businesses, especially local ones and those that are run by mums like myself, as I know first-hand how difficult this is and how much the small shops need local support to survive. If YOU have a small business and would like to collaborate, please contact me…. ALL FOR SMALL!! Read a few extra info on marissaanastasi.com.