[Soulwarmth]

I've been asked what exactly I mean by "conscious" island. To me, it's about choosing natural, respectful, harmonious lifestyles in the world around us toward a sustainable future.

So, what is "conscious parenting"?

To me it is fostering in our children a sense of harmony, educating them in the natural ways of the world, and assuring them that they have choices in the fate of our planet. That their actions and voices matter, no matter how small or large.

How about you?
 

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Don't worry about what people think. They don't do it very often.

[MaggieB]

Well when I think of conscious parenting I automatically think
of being alive, awake, totally aware of both your parenting
skills, styles, and unique abilities as well as your child's/children's
personal strengths, abilities and unique differences.
I think of wholeness, oneness, learning with your child about the
world they are growing into. I think of the ability to pass on information
that will enable our children to grow into strong, confident, compassionate,
aware, and unique human beings. Human beings that are "in touch" with
their ideas and capabilities, and whom are willing to also pass this gift of knowledge and "consciousness" on to others including their children.
To me "conscious parenting" is a story of growth, understanding, soul, knowledge, learning, warmth, caring, kindness, empathy, and above all else LOVE, love of self, love of family, love of community, love of region, love of nation, love of humankind, love of Mother Earth AND a love of the universe, a story or tale that we can hope that our children will accept, cherish and pass on to the next generation.

Maggie
 

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"Aspire to simple living? That means, aspire to fulfill the highest human destiny."
Charles Wagner

[artifex]

Conscious Parenting? This is a term I have always used in my parenting groups or parents I have worked with. I always talk about conscious parenting as opposed to the automatic parenting that "naturally" comes to us, mostly from our own perenting (including those things we swore not to ever repeat to our children).
Conscious parenting can be also called Responsive Parenting. Because it is a form of parenting in which the parents genuinely respond to the child not out of a repertory of automatic reactions, old beliefs, personal fears and other issues. The parent listens, hears, sees and feels the child and only then allows himself/herself to respond to the child in the here and now. The parent's response is not what they heard from their parents, nor is it a response that is really meant for their inner child (who has a lot of unmet needs), nor is it an expert response; the kind they learnt from parenting formula books. Conscious parenting is really being present to the child's needs and expression, right now.. right now.

Mehdi Naïmi
art and play therapist
www.ArtandPlayTherapy.com
 

[LLLMama]

I think Artifex and MaggieB say it well.
For me it is recognizing my child as a full human being - with legitimate needs, fears and desires. I try to parent in a way that her emotions and thoughts are respected and heard. Sometimes it means we change the way we do things - and sometimes this change puts us at odds with mainstream parenting and/or how we were parented.
My daughter is my teacher - she interacts with the world in a way that is (relatively) free of expectation. The lessons started right away with sleep and breastfeeding - what "experts" and others told me should be happening and what my daughter let me know she needed. It is my job to listen to her inner wisdom and trust that she will mature and grow without me prodding and judgement.
Artifex writes that it is responding not reacting. I agree, this is the hardest part. It is easy to follow other's script or our own how-we-were-parented script, I find it is harder to self-reflect and love unconditionally. But I grow on this journey . . .