Dwayne The Rock Johnson: Skin-to-Skin Bonding with New Baby Girl

Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson writes:

Skin to skin. Our mana.

Blessed and proud to bring another strong girl into this world.

Tiana Gia Johnson came into this world like a force of nature and Mama Lauren Hashian labored and delivered like a true rockstar.

I was raised and surrounded by strong, loving women all my life, but after participating in baby Tia’s delivery, it’s hard to express the new level of love, respect and admiration I have for Lauren and all mamas and women out there.

Word to the wise gentlemen: it’s critical to be by your lady’s head when she’s delivering, being as supportive as you can... holding hands, holding legs, whatever you can do. But, if you really want to understand the single most powerful and primal moment life will ever offer - watch your child being born. It's a life changer, and the respect and admiration you have for a woman will forever be boundless.

And to my third and youngest daughter, Tiana Gia - like I did when your two older sisters, Simone Alexandra and Jasmine Lia were born, you have my word, I’ll love, protect, guide, and make ya laugh for the rest of my life.

Your crazy dad has many responsibilities and wears many hats in this big ol’ world, but being your dad will always be the one I’m most proud to wear. Oh, and one more thing... you’re gonna love rollin’ in daddy’s pick up truck.

Are you a boy or a girl?

By Danelle Day © 2018

Before heading out on our adventures for the day, my just-turned-four-year-old son found a sparkly, purple hair clip that he wanted to wear. My husband and I are not ones to deny our kids their self expression of all "beautiful things" solely based on their sex, so our son sported it proudly this afternoon at our local petting farm.

Later this evening at supper he filled us in:

"The kids asked if I was a boy or a girl."

"What did you tell them?" I asked.

"That I’m a human."

😂🤣  Right on, little dude. We laughed.

This ever-friendly tyke is always saying he is "going to play with those humans" while we are at the park (not identifying people based on perceived gender, age, size, or skin color — only by whether they are dogs or humans he wishes to play with 😉).

May we all LOVE a little bigger, and a little more broadly, this year.

Channeling Righteous Anger for Effective Baby Saving

It takes a lot of deep breaths, and stepping away after seeds are planted, but in the end we will save FAR more babies if we can rein in the blood-curdling passion so that it is channeled in an effective, rational, calm manner.

If the end goal is "SAVE ALL THE BABIES!!!!!" it must be done in a fashion that is very cautious, planned, purposeful, and professional and/or gentle (audience dependent, and audience aware).

Inside I am deeply outraged with every fiber of my being that newborn babies every day are sexually assaulted with a blade. I can viscerally feel their pain, knowing what it is like to be a survivor of similar horrors. It is one of the very reasons I began this work over 24 years ago. But if I spill this anger over onto everyone I meet, and come across as an intense, crazy person, then people tune out, turn away, shut down, and nothing beneficial comes of it all. This is how babies are lost.

The key is figuring out how to do the most good, for the most people, to save the most babies, and process our internal (righteous) anger and passion along the way. Humans do not respond well to negative aggression, but they do (more often than not) respond to positive empowerment.

-Danelle Day

Learn More: Should I Circumcise? The Pros and Cons

Above sticker available at Etsy for seed-planting in your area.

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5 Ways We Ignore Children's Agency That Perpetuate Rape Culture

An Everyday Feminism educational comic by Alli Kirkham

 Children are told that adults are owed their attention and affection. When that idea is internalized, it can be difficult to accept that no one is owed physical contact or emotional energy.

Children are told not to argue with authority, and to accept commands without question. After growing up being told that you must respect authority for authority's sake, it is difficult to refuse requests from someone in a position of authority for your own sake.

Children are told that even physical attacks aren't a good enough reason to resort to violence -- as adults we aren't practiced at defending ourselves, but are told we're complicit in our own abuse if we cannot fight off an attacker.

Children are often told sex isn't something they should know about, talk about, or ask questions about. People who aren't educated about consent may have trouble reporting abuse because they feel they are at fault for the abuse.

Children are told they have to do things they don't want to do because of tradition or duty. As adults it can be difficult to break away from feelings of obligation tied up in tradition, so people continue to suffer rather than break these traditions. We can change the way we treat children...

Adults need to remember that children are people - human beings, too. Instead of raising children merely to be blindly obedient, we should focus on autonomy to work toward a better world for children and the adults they become. Consent is a skill that must be taught and learned consistently. As such, it makes no sense to raise children to ignore their own consent, and then be expected to flip it on like a switch as soon as they reach adulthood. Respecting the autonomy of children is vital to creating a world in which consent is respected for people of all ages.

An Everyday Feminism educational comic strip. Transcript
Read more from Kirkham

You're growing a person, not a problem

You are raising a human being with thoughts, needs, ideas, and a personality all their own.

They aren't perfect anymore than you are, and expecting perfection will only lead to conflict, not connection.

When they make mistakes, choose understanding - not anger.

When they make poor choices, choose guidance - not punishment.

When they challenge your authority, choose peace - not warfare.

Remember, you are growing a person, not a problem.

-L.R. Knost, Little Hearts Books


Peaceful Parenting Group​

Peaceful Parenting info cards for sharing available at Etsy

Incorporating Nature into Playtime for Children

Incorporating Nature in Play

Incorporating Nature in Play by Wooden Toy Shop.