Raindrops

You can almost hear the plants breathing a sigh of relief as the rain drops fill the air after weeks of hot sunshine

Glorious sunshine and heat that we longed for during dark, cold and soggy winters

It’s the sunshine and the water that give all things here on earth the essential ingredients of life

As life needs sunshine and water, children need love and boundaries. One without the other does not give a child what they need to thrive.

There has been some negative talk recently about ‘Gentle Parenting’ being a recipe for spoiled, badly behaved kids, but we know, too, that disciplined parenting without love can be harmful. What we need is a balance, the sunshine and the rain. Boundaries are loving when done gently and with empathy and acceptance… Perhaps the criticisms aren’t looking closely enough.

Therapeutic parenting asks for radical empathy and acceptance, as well as firm boundaries that teach about safety both physically and emotionally. From the outside it can garner criticism that it lacks boundaries, and from the inside it can be hard to know. Parents can struggle to know if they are ‘doing it right’, because a focus on emotional safety can make it look as if we are ignoring the rules culture tells us about socially acceptable behaviour.

In our making days, we hope to teach people that behaviour can be understood as communication, and boundaries and expectations can hold deep compassion while they teach and keep children safe.

The rain is still dripping, and after a little soggy walk this morning, I can see the grass and leaves glowing a brighter green as they get the rain they so need to thrive.