The ‘tuned in’ parent

Finally! A book about parenting that doesn’t leave you guilt ridden and actually concedes that you can celebrate who you are along with embracing your parenting responsibilities. This is a must read for every parent everywhere! While it is not in the league of prescriptions, it is certainly one that could work quite well as a solution to this confusing world of parenting. Minimalist Parenting is written by Christine Koh and Asha Dornfest. The book shows the value of tuning into you and your family’s unique values and priorities and confidently identifying the activities, traditions, interactions, and people that are truly meaningful and merit space in your life. This is what the authors refer to as ‘minimalist parenting’. It basically means that you can be true to your values and raise your family with the same values without going out of your way to conform to anyone else’s ideals but your own and your partner’s. No one can judge or criticise you for that because the set standards are your own and you know them best. The book also gives you practical strategies for managing time, de-cluttering the home space, simplifying meals and prioritising self-care. All of this is backed up by practical examples of the author practicing these very methods. Perhaps the most winning aspect is that the methods recommend the use of the resources available to you at all times. There is no need to put yourself out trying to acquire what is really beyond your means and probably is even unsustainable. In an environment that keeps demanding more and more from us and grows ever more judgemental, it is no wonder that many parents today feel increasingly overwhelmed, confused and frustrated. Finding a good read that acknowledges individual situations and needs, encourages you to use what resources are available to you without pressuring you to live out of your means is both practical and sensible- it is just what every parent needs to know. The truth is that nobody really needs to tell us how to be good parents the same way nobody needs to tell you how to be happy. To be a good parent you only need to examine yourself and realise what is important to you, your priorities and values and apply the same in your parenting decisions. Keep it simple, be confident, be honest and above all be kind to yourself. Your children or your family is really not about what society expects from you, it is about your values, your beliefs and your lifestyle. At the end of each day you retire to your home, to your family and no one really cares how you deal with your life choices- so make it about what is important to YOU. If this turns out like an over-rated book review, please excuse it, blame it on my excitement and try it out anyway! But take a step back with me and consider this: what is more gratifying and/or satisfying than celebrating who you are, your values and personality as you celebrate family life and parenting. In essence, you tune into yourself to be perfectly in tune with your parenting skills. I feel that Minimalist Parenting as a title of the book is a misnomer but perhaps that was the easiest way to get the message across.