Contents
With the children, slow down to get back to basics
The health crisis will not have had all the bad … In the 3rd Kinder Barometer published by Ipsos in February 2019, 56% of French parents said they felt guilty for not devoting more time to their offspring because of their overloaded agendas. Containment at least had the merit of forcing us to ease off. Slow down to get back to basics: this is the watchword of “slow parenting”, a movement that appeared fifteen years ago in the United States and which is gaining ground in France.
A child needs time to build up
“By imposing this frantic race on our toddlers, not only do we put them under tension, but we also prevent them from dreaming, from developing their creativity and from feeling what is happening inside themselves”, warns the sophrologist Malvina Girard. “To build himself, a child needs time. You don’t have to live with your toes all day long to be a slow parent. It is enough to listen to the rhythm of your child, to skim the activities and to do everything in full presence. A new way of life that allows you to spend quality moments with your family but which requires a minimum of patience and organization.
For more information:
– Live a slow parenting! (Leduc. S)
– Slow parenting (practical hatchet)
— http://www.lelaitdemaman.com/
— https://parentsenequilibre.com/
Slow parenting: moms testify
“Every man for himself moments. “
“It may seem incredible to take the time with 6 children, but you just need to be attentive and kind and live in the moment with your family. Without forgetting his parents’ needs… The children each have their own room, except the twins who always want to be with each other. By having moments each for himself, we manage to reconcile rhythms more easily. »Mélanie-ève, mother of Henry, 18, Lucas, 17, Hippolyte, 13, Félix, 9, Victoire, 9, and Romy, 16 months.
“Easier when you have space! “
“Slow life is generally easier when you have space, a garden, and you live close to nature. In apartments, it is more necessary to organize activities and “occupy” the children. It’s hard nowadays to imagine letting them roam the streets and parks alone! »Charlotte, mother of Alexandre, 4 years old, and Raphaël, 6 years old.
“I accepted that everything is not perfect. “
“Replacing the injunctions of perfectionism with my deepest aspirations – a rhythm more respectful of our physical, emotional, relational and environmental needs – has helped me find inner peace. I accepted that everything is not perfect. But respecting everyone’s needs on a daily basis requires a lot of attention. To help me, I surrounded myself with people who share my convictions. If I am not in good shape, I tell my children and I organize an alternative with one of these people I trust. »Chloé, mother of Marin, 7 and a half years old, and Tara, 2 and a half months old.
“Take care of myself to take better care of my loved ones. “
“As an entrepreneur, I devote a lot of time to my work. It is therefore not always easy to find the right balance between this demanding professional life, where time is short, inevitable deadlines, etc. and slow parenting. But by making sure to take care of myself, I have more positive energy for my relationship and for my daughter. »Valentine, mother of Juliette, 4 and a half years old.
“Everyone is free to do whatever they want as long as they don’t disturb others. “
“We share our meals at the same time. For the rest, everyone is free to do what they want as long as they don’t disturb the others and obviously, we, the parents, take care of all the logistics: go for a walk with the most athletic, share the children, remind them of the rules of life… But we sometimes say stop if it’s asking too much of ourselves. »Blandine, mother of Simon, 7, Charles, 5, and Bertille, 2.
“I plan 45 more minutes. “
“I like to talk softly to my daughter, allowing her to drink her bib at her own pace. In the morning, I therefore plan 45 minutes more so as not to be speedy. The day before, I prepare our clothes and our bags. When I come home in the evening, as our dinner is ready the day before, we have time to take a bath and have dinner… At the moment, she likes to beep at the doors of the building. It takes a long time, but I let her try new things. »Élodie, mother from Castile, 2 years old.