When Normal is Foreign

❤ "The most important work you will do is within your own home." ❤

No truer words have ever been spoken. 👌

Recently this message really sunk in for me. I believed it before, but now I really 'get it'.

The last few months we have been in the process of finding and buying our first home. 🏠 We went together, as a family unit, to look at homes so we could find the best fit for our wants and needs. This last home we looked at was really nice (though not for us) and the people clearly had kids.

Well, funny story, my 7 year old daughter was checking out the bedrooms & she mistook a nursery for a playroom. 😂 Any guesses as to why? Well I'll tell ya. Z has never seen a nursery before. Ever. Not even having 2 younger siblings & a couple handful of cousins!

When I realized it, I told her what it was. She then threw 10 million questions at me because she was truly confused.

"But how do they know when they're hungry or poopy?"

"Isn't baby lonely & cold in there all by himself?"

"What's the point of having mommy & baby sleep in seperate rooms?"

"How does the mom breastfeed with baby in a different room?"

The questions went on for a while & each answer was met with, "Yeah, but why?" or "But what's the point in that?" She was so confused and horrified by this concept!

Later that day the significance (rather than the initial amusement) of that moment really hit me. Something so "normal" (mainstream) was a completely foreign concept to my child. It got me to thinking about various other things that play out the same way.

I decided I was proud of myself. I spend a good portion of my time as an adult and a parent thinking I'm not doing a very good job. I realized just how important that moment was. My daughter being not only shocked and confused, but straight up horrified at something so "normal" let me know that I've done something right. At least in my own home, I have normalized attentive parenting, connected relationships, and following nature/biological norms. That's 3 kids (more if we ever have more babies) that are going to grow up seeing these things as what is normal.

3 kids who will grow up into adults who see -

▪Breastfeeding in public uncovered,
▪Breastfeeding into toddlerhood,
▪Bodily Autonomy & consent,
▪Natural remedies & healthy lifestyle,
▪Attentive & respectful parenting,
▪Unschooling/Natural Learning,
▪Non-violent, loving discipline,
▪Cosleeping, babywearing, biological norm following parenting,
▪Leaving boys intact,
▪Questioning & researching everything,
▪Deep thinking,
▪Ect, ect, ect

- as completely normal & intuitive things to do.

How cool is that?? Pretty cool if you ask me anyway.

Knowing there are hundreds if not thousands of parents out there who do things similarly, and really understanding now how that plays out with the children, gives me hope for the future. The ripple effect is real!

I am so excited to see the amazing things our children will do when they're grown and parents themselves. 😀

What a privilege, to have such a huge hand & important role in shaping these awesome little people, and creating a brighter future!