life philosophy....or something

I am blessed to be home Wednesday nights alone with Kate and Quinn. (I am using "blessed" loosely because tonight they covered the kitchen floor in brown sugar in like 3 minutes while I used the bathroom.)

During my Wednesday nights home I get to sit on my rear on the couch and catch up on blogs and facebook (and NO that isn't why they destroyed the kitchen!!!! lol)

They just get to watch copious amounts of netflix (yes stellar parenting.)

Anyway, during my couch potato evening, I get to read all about other parent's "philosophies."

I am seeing suddenly mainstream parenting embrace the concept of "attachment parenting" or "trust based" parenting and believe these concepts are new, or suddenly make sense. Which is so bizarre to me.

I am reading about adoptive parents who understand they need to homeschool their adoptive children according to their "ability." However the same parents push their biological children to maintain a "grade level."

In my parenting, the first best thing I got was the Dr. William Sears "Baby Book."

I also found a website and message board that was a major influence in my parenting and I guess our family.

http://www.gentlechristianmothers.com/

Another very influential piece of advice I got was to homeschool my children according to their ability levels. And that was WAY before we adopted.

We don't "do" grade levels or schedules or tests. I read other people's schedules and plans and curriculums and it stresses me out. I can see why they are stressed out.

Then we get into discipline. Good grief. Reading what people do.....it is scary. "Let's see how miserable we can make our kids."

Really? I read these things and I can't believe people write them, and then others "like" them.

Maybe I am naive. I guess I just think there is a better way. "Get off your butt and parent" was how my friends and I used to refer to it when we had toddlers. You have to be attached and know your kids.

If anyone even cares, we used grace-based discipline, positive parenting, natural consequences as much as possible. However....my kids will probably just tell you I yell (loud.) See the very first paragraph of this blog.....I did NOT yell about that. However, I DO yell when the boys are shoving eachother down the steps or won't get off the stupid xbox, wii, computer, ds, ipod (you get the idea!)

So that is our philosophy....or something. Really we are just giving it all to God and assume He's got it covered. We've gotten this far, I think He will keep us going in the right direction.