A big welcome to guest author Trish Woolbright! She is sharing with us her whole journey with raising rabbits. She’ll walk you through every part of the process, from the decision to start raising rabbits, to setting up a colony, to the slaughtering process, to delicious ways to bring the meat to your table. Thanks for sharing your knowledge with us, Trish!

I don’t let teachers coerce my child.

He was not forced to read at the developmentally inappropriate kindergarten age. He is not forced to suffer through the equivalence of a full time job just to be educated according to politicians’ guidelines.

I don’t let other people coerce my child.

I tell him that his body belongs to him and that he sets the rules. I give him the language to respond to people who are trying to get him to do things he doesn’t want to do.

I don’t coerce my child.

We work together on bedtimes and the contents of meals and what kind of clothes he will wear. For things he “has” to do, like those related to health and safety, I have a vast commitment to cooperation, and we figure out something that works for both of us.

And there’s one other person who is not allowed to coerce my child.

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego are the central characters of a Christian Bible story. They walk into a fiery furnace and then emerge unharmed.

These characters took central stage in a church sermon I heard once about cult-behavior and the three tactics used to turn someone away from god.

Imagine you’re juggling three balls. Even if you can’t juggle, just try to picture it. Three nice, even, same-size balls designed for juggling.

Then someone tosses you another ball. Okay, you’re managing. You’ve seen people juggle four balls before. It could work.

Now there are ten balls.

Now you’re standing on your head and have had no sleep while still trying to juggle.

Are we describing parenting yet?

I think I already know everything about parenting (ha! yeah right!)

But very now and then I come across a new parenting idea that blows me away.