About Jennifer Hamilton
Having learned to write before she could walk (or so goes the story), Jennifer Hamilton has finally found an outlet as our SweetMama Editor. Don’t miss her weekly victories and slip-ups as she raises a son who is almost as obstinate and witty as her; using snuggles, derision and propaganda to survive.
Helicopter. Umbrella. Authoritative. Permissive. Cooperative. Manipulative. Indulgent. Absentee. Neglectful. Attachment. Overparenting. Concerted Cultivation. Authoritarian. Reward-Based. Nurturant. Punishment-Based. Positive Parenting.
There are about as many different styles of parenting as there are different-looking parents. And now there’s one more to add to the list:
Slow Parenting. As if parents didn’t already have enough on their plates.
Akin to slow cooking, this parenting style is very hands-off. It’s kind of like cooking a roast in a crock pot while you’re at work. When you get home after a long day of doing something entirely different you open the lid and you either find a beautifully-cooked, fragrant, delicious roast or you find black meat burned to the bottom of your now ruined crock pot.
I’ve had both results with my crock pot, and I’m not sure I’m willing to turn around one day and find my child a crumpled mass of nothing because I didn’t give him enough guidance or enough opportunities.
On the other hand, I
would love to see him as a bright, content, empathetic young man someday, having discovered who he is and accepted that, without being burdened with too much poking and prodding from his parents. Where is the happy middle-ground? Does it exist?
Is one style of parenting right for one parent? What about two parents? What about more than one child? Did our parents have it this hard when they decided how to parent us?
Thought That Was Sweet? You'll Enjoy: