This is a place to meet and share parenting experiences.

Somewhere for Coffs Harbour 'natural' parents to find support, and help each other strive for healthy family relationships. It is a step away from the mainstream parent groups into a family group where we can get together as families to share food, play, thought and feelings with focus on guiding our children toward healthy relationships with each other and the earth.

WHAT IS NATURAL PARENTING?
The natural parenting style intends to raise children with a strong self-esteem, enabling them to grow confident, assertive, cooperative and creative. It essentially enables children to be fully in touch with their natural self and abilities. Please explore the links menu for parenting information in tune with these intentions. Essentially the guiding principles for natural parenting are where:

• Parents fill their children’s physical and emotional needs.

• Parents unconditionally allow for releasing painful emotions through crying and raging (not alone).

• Parents offer encouragement for learning at the children’s own pace, without criticism or evaluative praise.

• Parents encourage children to become autonomous problem solvers, helping only when needed.

• Parents set reasonable boundaries and limits, by gently guiding children towards acceptable behaviour, and consideration for everyone's needs when solving conflicts. They do not control children with bribes, rewards, threats, or punishments of any kind.

• Parents take care of themselves and are honest about their own needs and feelings. They do not sacrifice themselves to the point of becoming resentful.

• Parents strive to be aware of the ways in which their own childhood pain interferes with their ability to be effective parents, and make conscious efforts to avoid passing on their own hurts to their children.