Parenting tips from 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.
Spend time with them – on their terms. Spend time with your child, but not on your terms, on theirs. If they like concerts, go with them. Have a family movie night and let your children choose the movies that you watch. You can have one night where a child chooses the movie and another night where an adult chooses the movie. Or, each family can take a turn to choose. The important thing is to meet them on their level, on their terms. This will show that you are taking an interest in them, their lives and their world. And that will mean the world to them. Discover additional info at Motherhood advices.
Sometimes when I got so overwhelmed and I wanted to cry, I would pick up my crying baby, sit down and tell myself this moment won’t last forever. Tomorrow my child will be bigger and different, enjoy this moment. I would just stroke my baby and gaze into their eyes and I would instantly feel so much love. It got me through so many bad moments. The washing, dishes or school drop-offs for other kids would just have to wait. Ten minutes late, or a morning off school sometimes isn’t a crime if it makes your life easier and children happier.
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!! Find more details on marissaanastasi.com.