Category Archives: babies

56+ magic phrases to end food battles with picky eaters - and the science behind the magic words! | Sacraparental.com

Gentle Parenting Tips: 56+ Magic Phrases to End Food Battles with Picky Eaters, and the Science Behind Trusting Kids to Eat What they Need

There is a special kind of heartbreak a parent feels when the meal they have cooked is described as ‘yucky,’ or refused altogether. If you are struggling with the stress, sadness and discouragement of battling with picky eaters (of whatever age!), this post is here to reassure you and help you and your family relax and […]

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12 Reasons to welcome kids in church + tips for how to actually do it! | Sacraparental.com

12 Reasons to Welcome Kids in Church + Tips for Actually Doing It

Sure, kids don’t belong everywhere. They’re not a symphony orchestra’s target audience (except when they are). The tense whispers of snooker commentators suggest that toddlers wouldn’t be welcome at tournament finals. But babies and children are legally entitled to be all sorts of places that aren’t always built with them in mind, including, say, courthouses […]

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'Colours are for everyone!' - one of a great list of phrases for feminist parenting | Sacraparental.com

‘Colours are for Everyone’ + 38 More Phrases for Feminist Parenting

A little visitor came to our house for the first time recently. This was the conversation between the visitor and my four-year-old son, SBJ: Visitor: Whose bike is that? SBJ: Mine! V: It can’t be yours. It’s pink. Pink is a girl colour. SBJ: No, colours are for everyone. Pink is one of my favourite colours. […]

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Making Parenting Easier: Tips, Laughs, and Being Kind to Yourself

Parenting is flipping hard work, yes? You’re responsible for, as my friend Jess says, tiny sociopaths. They’re cute, sure, but they have little in the way of empathy, self-control, or social graces. You get no sick leave. You’re operating on so little sleep that serious reading now means clicking ‘see more’ on Facebook. Communities like […]

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How to Support Someone with Postnatal Depression / Postpartum Depression: 9 Ideas

Do you know someone with PND/PPD? The answer is ‘yes’ Around 10-15% of women who give birth experience postnatal depression, so if you know more than eight women who are mothers, you probably know someone who has been through it – whether she knew that’s what it was or not. Here are two facts you […]

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Talking about Postnatal Depression: Kathryn’s Story [Guest]

A warm welcome to Kathryn, sharing the story of a very difficult year of motherhood. This was originally written several years ago. Next week is my baby’s first birthday. And I’m not planning a party or celebration of any kind. I don’t think I would cope very well with that right now, and I don’t […]

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Lactation Cookies: 3 Reasons and 12 Recipes to Make Some for a New Parent

They do NOT contain breastmilk. I’m a fan of science, as you know, so I’ve been reluctant to write about lactation cookies, even though it’s a cool topic. The problem is that there is a very strange lack of scientific research on many aspects of breastfeeding. We’re left to self-evaluate traditional knowledge which could either be […]

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The Sacrament of Breastfeeding #5: Bible Blokes and Cultural Capital

Nah, don’t worry, I’m not going to launch into a breastfeeding campaign using biblical texts to convince you of anything. I just thought this was a nice point made by someone on the Dulce de Leche blog. Peter writes in his first New Testament letter: Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, […]

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Ten Books, Four Words Each: Most Influential

The latest booklovers’ chain-letter going around Facebook seems to be a challenge to list (without too much agonising) your ten most ‘influential’ books. Heavens. To stay in the spirit of the challenge I’ve tried to write this in one sitting, presumably missing a lot of worthy contenders, but hopefully capturing some kind of truth. And […]

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