Dr. Svanberg, this sounds so incredibly familiar, that at some point it felt like you were snatching thoughts from my head. With the risk of turning this comment into self promotion, I'd really, really like to share our take on something we realized not too long ago: that as parents, nearly everything we do, say, or think, unless we purposefully try to change it, borders on the automatic. Because we've been told so, or because we've been conditioned to believe it's the right thing to do, or because we just don't know better. So, in a way, we've been having this life-changing, cathartic "that's not for me" moment for the past three years now. If you have a few minutes, I'd be really grateful to hear your thoughts on this. Thank you!
Fwiw, I also have a list of things other people think I should do because they’re ‘good for me’. Mine also includes three meals a day, baths and I’d add going to a spa and making friends with the school mums 🫣
Thank you for this. As a neurodivergent mum with a neurodivergent family, we are just beginning to explore the ‘not for me’ concept and celebrate the difference that makes us awesome in a different way from society’s expectations. We have just started homeschooling and are finding the process of not having to jump through the hoops imposed on us very liberating. It’s lovely to hear someone articulate so clearly what we are just discovering.
Thanks for this Catherine- we’ve also been through a process of Deschooling and that really consolidated a lot of this for me. If traditional education- such a pillar of everyday life- is not for us then what ELSE isn’t! It opens up the world in a whole new way
beautiful and gentle "who does this serve" :)
Dr. Svanberg, this sounds so incredibly familiar, that at some point it felt like you were snatching thoughts from my head. With the risk of turning this comment into self promotion, I'd really, really like to share our take on something we realized not too long ago: that as parents, nearly everything we do, say, or think, unless we purposefully try to change it, borders on the automatic. Because we've been told so, or because we've been conditioned to believe it's the right thing to do, or because we just don't know better. So, in a way, we've been having this life-changing, cathartic "that's not for me" moment for the past three years now. If you have a few minutes, I'd be really grateful to hear your thoughts on this. Thank you!
https://open.substack.com/pub/theflyingkid/p/intentional-parenting-and-one-fundamental?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android&r=212rhn
Thank you, this looks super interesting and I relate a lot! Will take a look now
Thank you for taking the time, I really, really appreciate it!
Really great read!
Fwiw, I also have a list of things other people think I should do because they’re ‘good for me’. Mine also includes three meals a day, baths and I’d add going to a spa and making friends with the school mums 🫣
😂 I keep thinking of new ones. Habit stacking? Verbal communication? Much of the internet? The 21st century?
Thank you for this. As a neurodivergent mum with a neurodivergent family, we are just beginning to explore the ‘not for me’ concept and celebrate the difference that makes us awesome in a different way from society’s expectations. We have just started homeschooling and are finding the process of not having to jump through the hoops imposed on us very liberating. It’s lovely to hear someone articulate so clearly what we are just discovering.
Thanks for this Catherine- we’ve also been through a process of Deschooling and that really consolidated a lot of this for me. If traditional education- such a pillar of everyday life- is not for us then what ELSE isn’t! It opens up the world in a whole new way
Absolutely - it’s challenged us to question why we do the things we do. A surprising amount is just ‘because that’s what we do’!