Parenting Methods...Everybody's Got One!

Pregnancy and birth....the joyous occasion in which we bring into the world a new life. A new life and all the responsibility of caring for, nurturing, and teaching this little person to become a functioning, independent individual and  member of society. But how? How, you might ask, do you get this outcome....

If you're anything like me you have read dozens of parenting books, all describing various methods that are supposed to help your child develop into the well rounded individual that you dream they will be. Yet in their differences, there are a few things consistent with all of these "methods".

The first being... None of these tried and true parenting methods are the same and many of them are conflicting but they all have "evidence" to back them up. They claim to be the standard of parenting with dozens of success stories and mothers who "swear by" them. Almost all have fancy psychologists that explain why that method works above all others and many claim that their method is how every other family in the world parents, there seems to be a general consensus that American parents and our current society totally lack and fail. Damn.

The second consistency? If the method is not working, it's not the method, it's your failure to execute the method properly or you haven't waited long enough for it to work. Is that frustrating or what? 

The third and most irritating consistency? Is what I call the "high horse" parent club. Each method seems to house a group of parents that develop the logic that, all other parents who do not parent in the same fashion are ignorant and uninformed, and every one should be concerned for the welfare of the children under those "other" parenting conditions. Really?

What's my take on all this? I can't tell you which parenting method is more "right"....Parenting methods are just that...methods. Particular procedures in accomplishing a goal. Ideas to meet that goal. There is one other consistency I forgot to mention, and that is that not one of these methods are 100% fail proof and none of them come with a "Just turn back time and try again!" guarantee. 

As parents we do the best we can, with the best of intentions for our children. Most parents do not go into parenting with the goal of being a "bad parent". No parent is perfect or all knowing, and what works for some may not work for others. You know what? That's okay. Ultimately, no matter what method we use raise our children, during good times and bad, through hard work and suffering, in the end it will be up to them, the children, to decide to become the person they were destined to be. 

Oh How I long....

I love art. I love making trees. It's fun, enjoyable, and cool to know that others are wearing my pieces yet, I want so much more. I want to be a midwife... BUT... it's just not my time. I have 2 young children and plan on having more in the upcoming years. 

I long so badly though, to be with birthing women as their midwife. I have so much love and so much compassion and I just want to pour it out to every pregnant woman I see. I want to make sure she is safe, loved, and cared for. Even if it is something as humble as cleaning up, getting a glass of water, holding a hand...I want so badly to give to women. Love. I believe how a woman feels at her birth can affect her in many ways, I know mine did.

To me a midwife is a guardian of birth. She protects the mother and child and encourages them as they work together. She stays back, low in profile so that the mother can focus but close enough that all her needs can be met. She watches carefully ensuring all is well. Her love is so strong that it radiates through everything. Then at that joyous moment when the new life makes its way earth side she can share in the joy, the success, the victory, all while keeping a close eye...or in that slim chance when things don't always go as planned she can be a trusted rock of comfort in scary situations. Why because of love. 

Could there be a more fulfilling profession?

I think it is impossible to be a good midwife if you can't fully open your heart and love birthing women.

Elephants understand this need. When a female is birthing, they all stand around her, guarding her from harm and occasionally sounding out encouragement. When her work is done they all shout out with love and joy and greet the new life and comfort the mother. Elephants understand the need for love and guardianship. 

I love my children and in no way to I want to rush their growing, but until they are a bit older I'm left to give in other ways, longing for the day that I can serve women and humbly call myself a midwife.

Nest Tutorial- How to Make a Bird's Nest Necklace

This Tutorial is for a wire bird's nest necklace.

I had a request to do a tutorial on a necklace, so I decided to chain the nest instead of earrings. It is just as easy to make two and put them on earring hooks. I love this project because eggs in a nest has such a wonderful meaning to a mother. 

So lets get started!

Supplies needed- 

-About 2ft, 26 Gauge wire

-3, 4mm round stones

-18" Chain

-1 Jump ring

-1 Spring clasp

-Wire snips

- 2 pairs chain nose pliers

To start, take your 3 beads (I'm using 4mm Charoite on solid sterling silver) and place them about 1 inch in on your wire.

 Curve your wire and beads to make a circle, and twist it closed. Tuck your end under on the side you want to be the bottom.

 Begin wrapping your wire around the 3 beads. This will form the base of the nest.

 When you have about 6-10 wraps, take your wire and connect your outer ring to your bead ring, by weaving the wire around the outer ring to the inner ring with the beads.

 Once you have 3 or 4 wraps connecting your base to your beads, begin working on the bottom.

Twist the wire round and round in circles. Make sure your circles are all different sizes so that they cover the whole bottom. 

 When it is decently covered weave the wire around the base and the beads like before, making sure to come through the bottom so that it is connected to the top. Do this 3 or 4 times.

 Your nest should then look similar to this.

 Now it is time to make the top of the nest. Kink the wire a bit and begin wrapping it in a circle on top of the base. Do this about 10 times.

 Then begin weaving the nest like before, connecting your top to the rest of your nest.

 Keep weaving around and around sloppily until your nest is full or you have about 3" of wire left.

 Create one last weaving loop, but leave part of this loop up and pinch it together close to the base. This will create your bezel.

 Bring your wire end up and wrap it around your pinched base until secure.

 Snip the loose end and pinch it down with your chain nose pliers.

 It should then look like this.

 Now to put our pendant on a chain! This part is really simple.

 Open the ring of the spring clasp by using your 2 pairs of pliers to grip the ring and turn them away from each other to open it.

 Place your chain on the clasp.

 Turn your pliers towards each other to close the opening.

 Open your jump ring, add your chain and close the same way you did with the spring clasp.
( If your spring clasp ring does not open, you will need a second jump ring to connect it to your chain.)

 And that's it! Your very own bird's nest necklace! You can customize it any way you like!
Birth stones, more eggs, less eggs, different metals...It's all up to you!
Sorry the picture is slightly blurry...I tried to enlarge it a bit...

Next Week's Project-

Basic Bracelet

Enjoy!!

<3 Cassandra

Sponsoring BIRTH! The Play

Home Baby Crafts is a proud sponsor of BIRTH! A play by Karen Brody. The play is being performed Thursday, June 7th at 6:30 pm at the May Memorial Unitarian Universalist Society in Syracuse, NY by CNY women. 


I will be donating a special tree of life for the silent auction, but there will be more on that later. ;) 
I will also have a table to vend while there and have been working my butt off on abstract midwife, doula, and mother pendents. My dear friend Patti and I are car pooling up together and are going to take a mini Finger lakes vacation, so expect lots of photos in the near future! I am so blessed to be apart of such an awesome event and given the opportunity to meet some wonderful ladies! If you are free that day, come join us! More information here.