Especially with our first child, we tend to take too much responsibility--both credit and blame--for everything. The more we wantto be good… — Polly Berrien Berends Be good Copy Share Image
The trouble with most problem-solving books for parents is that they start with the idea that the child has a problem. Then… — Polly Berrien Berends Blame Copy Share Image
Parenthood always comes as a shock. Postpartum blues? Postpartum panic is more like it. We set out to have a baby; what… — Polly Berrien Berends Baby Copy Share Image
The parent is the strongest statement that the child hears regarding what it means to be alive and real. More than what… — Polly Berrien Berends Alive Copy Share Image
Suddenly we have a baby who poops and cries, and we are trying to calm, clean up, and pin things together all… — Polly Berrien Berends Baby Copy Share Image
A sense of worthiness is a child's most important need. — Polly Berrien Berends Children Copy Share Image
“The child does not begin to fall until she becomes seriously interested in walking, until she actually begins learning. Falling is thus… — Polly Berrien Berends Children Copy Share Image
The secret is to learn to sit at the feet of your own life and be taught by it. — Polly Berrien Berends Feet Copy Share Image
Awareness of having better things to do with their lives is the secret to immunizing our children against false values--whether presented on… — Polly Berrien Berends Awareness Copy Share Image
Most of us would do more for our babies than we have ever been willing to do for anyone, even ourselves. — Polly Berrien Berends Willing Copy Share Image
“If your children see that you are seeking, they will seek—the finding part is up to God.” — Polly Berrien Berends Children Copy Share Image
My list of things I never pictured myself saying when I pictured myself as a parent has grown over the years. — Polly Berrien Berends Parent Copy Share Image
Whenever the child is given the notion that he needs to be entertained, learning comes almost to a halt. — Polly Berrien Berends Children Copy Share Image
We do not have to get our children to learn; only to allow and encourage them in their learning. We do not… — Polly Berrien Berends Children Copy Share Image
The child does not begin to fall until she becomes seriously interested in walking, until she actually begins walking. Falling is thus… — Polly Berrien Berends Children Copy Share Image
We can see that the baby is as much an instrument of nourishment to us, as we are for him. — Polly Berrien Berends Baby Copy Share Image
We cannot spare our children the influence of harmful values by turning off the television any more than we can keep them… — Polly Berrien Berends Children Copy Share Image
A child needs both to be hugged and unhugged. The hug lets her know she is valuable. The unhug lets her know… — Polly Berrien Berends Children Copy Share Image
As parents it is well to be aware of the tendency to equate energetic activity with contest. Our children's worth does not… — Polly Berrien Berends Ability Copy Share Image
If we view our children as stupid, naughty, disturbed, or guilty of their misdeeds, they will learn to behold themselves as foolish,… — Polly Berrien Berends Children Copy Share Image
Never miss an opportunity to allow a child to do something she can and wants to on her own. Sometimes we're in… — Polly Berrien Berends Able Copy Share Image
The gain is not the having of children; it is the discovery of love and how to be loving. — Polly Berrien Berends Children Copy Share Image
Everything that happens is either a blessing, which is also a lesson, or a lesson which is also a blessing. — Polly Berrien Berends Blessing Copy Share Image
If we allow our one-and-a-half year old to "help" us fold laundry he will learn something about buttons, zippers, snaps, where things… — Polly Berrien Berends Bigs Copy Share Image
More than what we say or do, the way we are expresses what we think it means to be alive. So the… — Polly Berrien Berends Alive Copy Share Image
