Teach the Young Women...

In the Bible we find this passage:

That they (the aged women) may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children...  (words in parenthesis added to clarify the meaning) Titus 2:4

Regardless of one's faith, this is a noble directive. If the aged women don't teach the younger, then who will? Who else is qualified? Qualification may not always be related directly to age, as a woman of 29 who has nursed several children will be equipped to instruct an older woman of 39 who has not yet done it, but in general, a woman who is "aged" will have had some experience in nearly every endeavor currently being encountered by a 25-year-old.

Isn't it a demonstration of love for a husband and a child when a mother gets informed and moves in a purposeful manner about birth choices and child rearing methods? Does she not have their best interests at heart, as well as her own, when she prepares nourishing meals and removes toxic chemicals from their environment? Does not being sober-minded require her to think seriously, although not joylessly or unkindly, about decisions regarding education, wellness, character building, hospitality, giving and social and religious responsibility?

In light of the instructions given in the above, T.M. shall strive to share what she has learned for the purpose of leading others into wise choices as well as helping them to avoid mistakes which result in not only regret, but long-term consequences. As the mother of 3 girls (two are now young women), she has had direct access to some minds already and has, no doubt, been a great influence in shaping their opinions. But there are other women who do not have a mother to instruct them and who might benefit from this internet access to a woman who has been there and done that.

One of the first topics to be discussed, a topic close to the heart of T.M. and about which she is currently writing a book, is child birth. Stay tuned for more on that.

Changing Directions

Tommy's Mommy (called T.M. on this blog) is interested in many aspects of mothering besides Elimination Communicaiton (called E.C. on this blog). Additionally, she is interested in many things that fall outside of the direct scope of "mothering". So the decision has to be made, where does the blog go from here? Rather than limiting herself to a single topic as she has done in the past, the objective will be to discuss a range of topics that will interest women at many different locations on their path through life.

Some of things that come to the top of her mind are; breastfeeding, child birth (subtopics of home birth, midwifery, unassisted birth, natural birth), breastfeeding, nourishing a family, menopause (eeeekkkk!), child training, self-sufficiency, herbalism and natural medicine, and the application of overarching principles and underlying beliefs to every aspect of life.

In recommending herself to readers, T.M. has to offer nearly a quarter of a century of mothering experience. She has recently become a grandmother, as well. She has birthed 7 children in addition to having two miscarriages. She has taken a path that started with hospital birth, the standard American diet, reliance on doctors and hospitals for health, a path that turned and now wanders in the open fields of all things natural and a rejection of self-proclaimed experts, a path which now constantly offers new wisdom found in Creation and the gleaning of nuggets from those who have gone before with success. She has not arrived, but she has definitely left certain things behind for good.

Here is a place where we can discuss past decisions and prepare for future challenges. The readers can share what they have learned and ask about what they don't know. Here is a place to share resources and journeys with candor and compassion.

Emerging From Hiding

This blog has been all but abandoned. It has been left in place just in case some mothers who are new to e.c. need one more resource to encourage them and they might stumble over here. However, the remote chance of that occurrence is not large enough to justify letting it just sit here taking up electrons.

On the other hand, continuing to post and talking about things other than e.c. might make that occurrence more likely while allowing T.M. to blather about other topics of interest to her. 

By way of updating, T.M. had a miscarriage in August of 2011 after announcing on this blog that she was expecting and already making plans for her next adventure in infant potty training.  Perhaps with her advanced age another pregnancy may never be conceived, or perhaps the spacing will just be really long, so it makes little sense to wait around for a chance to blog again about the fun and foibles of taking a baby to the potty place.

Tommy, himself is nearly completely toilet independent at the age of 3 1/2. He still sits facing toward the rear of the toilet, but he takes himself to the place, removes his own pants, climbs up there , does his business and flushes completely by himself. He still needs help to wipe, as does his 5 year old brother, and he rarely attempts to put his undies and pants back on, as he usually brings them to T.M. or an older sibling and asks for help. It is sort of cute to hear a shout coming from inside a bathroom with a closed door, "Will someone wipe my butt!!!!!!!!!!!!!", although it can also be embarrassing when company is present or when we are visiting at the neighbor's.

Out in public he must be attended on the toilet for bowel movements because he is unsure about balancing himself alone on the front of the toilet seat, facing forward, and we choose not to have him remove his shoes as is required for removing the pants for straddling the toilet to face backwards. He urinates standing and he both lifts the seat AND puts it back down when he is finished.

That constitutes an update. This post could sure use some pictures, huh? How many of the posts here bemoan the lack of pictures?