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Cheryl

Cheryl's Thoughts on Gentle Mothering

We are not humans having a spiritual experience but we are spirits having a human experience...What good is the body if the spirit is broken? My children are spiritual beings on loan from God. It is my heart's calling to care for them with all that I am, from the depths of my heart. I believe there is much wisdom whispered into our hearts by God, if we will only learn to listen. The first cries of my first baby woke a part of me I didn't know existed. I had never had much to do with babies. I didn't consider myself a "baby person". Suddenly, I lived for this baby! The slightest squeak & I was there. I had to be...my body & soul cried when he cried. His pain was my pain. Suddenly, I couldn't fathom how God could have given up his only son!

As I have grown as a mother, my style has evolved. To me, being a gentle mother means caring for my boys' needs 24/7. I am rarely away from my boys. We family bed, breastfeed on demand with baby led weaning, cloth diaper, carry our babies in a sling, try to speak in the positive rather in the negative when guiding, & "no hitting" is the rule in our home. We also try to establish & maintain rituals that are nourishing to the spirit such as praying with our children. We homeschool in an effort to protect their young minds. We try to listen carefully to their needs, both spoken & unspoken. We strive to love them unconditionally.

I learned gentle mothering with the birth of my first son in 1996. I hesitate to go into this, but it has changed our lives & affects so much of our lives, to not express it would feel dishonest. My husband & I waited almost 7 years before feeling ready for children. Our baby was so wanted & loved since before conception. I am an OB nurse by profession & did everything I knew to ensure a healthy pregnancy. We were dismayed to find out he would be born with life threatening heart anomalies.. Of course, this experience has brought out both the best & the worst in me. It is through this precious life that I learned about gentle mothering. I don't know if I would have questioned the norms so much or so quickly if it had not been for his special needs. To let him "cry it out" surely would have been very dangerous! Because of him, I researched the benefits of "kangaroo care" & that led to Dr. Sear's writings, which led to the family bed, & on & on. I have changed so much over these 5 years. I continue to grow as a person & as a mama to my two boys.

I believe we serve a loving God & to treat our children or each other with disrespect or harshly is in opposition to this love. We must model love & respect to our children. They learn from our example.

Cheryl's Testimony

My husband & I both grew up in the same church. I remember attending a vacation bible school & being so touched by the message that I went to the front 2-3 days in a row. I so wanted to be "saved" & have Jesus in my heart. I remember I didn't know if he had heard me, I didn't feel different.. I was very young, I think around 7. I remember my mother explaining to me later at home that I only had to ask once & he heard me! After a while, I realized I was different...I began to understand. I have not always walked the fine line & have struggled at times but I have always known the truth in my heart. I have seen miracles & heard murmurings in my heart. I don't know how I would have survived these past 5 years without leaning on my Lord. My first son would not be here but for the grace of God. Everyday, I am confronted with the miraculous when I look into his precious 5 year old face. God is good!