Author: Stephanie Booth

Babies [en]

Miss Pea‘s last post about her sleepless baby got me hunting around the web.
In India, I had read this great childcare book of Aleika’s, but unfortunately I forgot the name of the author. I’m happy to say I have dug out all the useful information for you.

The Baby Book was written by William and Martha Sears. They advocate Attachment Parenting – which can be brought down to these main points:

  • breastfeeding
  • responding to baby’s cues
  • wearing the baby
  • sharing sleep

The last point is of course very much frowned upon in our modern western society (by the way, the only one in history to have such a weird conception of child-rearing…). Even when I manage to explain to my friends all the advantages for the baby and the parents, it always comes down to the final question: what about sex?

Dr. Sears’ site has a mine of very interesting information on parenting, of course.
You can also find info and links to articles on the Muslim attachment parenting page, although the site might be a little hard on your eyes and your browser.

Pragmatique [en]

Lorsqu’un outil refuse de faire son travail, il vaut peut-être mieux s’en passer.

Pragmatic [en]

If a tool refuses to serve the purpose it was designed for, maybe it is wise to let go of the tool.

Cat and Dog Diet [en]

Yes, I know. Lots about my animals, these days.
Well, coming home from the vet’s, it seems that I’ve been doing the worst thing possible: feeding cat food to the dog and vice-versa.

Cats are pure carnivores. Dogs are omnivores. They need a different diet, and each have very specific protein and vitamin requirements.

So here I am, with my veterinary kitty and doggie foods. It looks expensive, but it’s rather economical: as it is dry, a little goes a long way. And it is good quality.

I guess if the vet feeds that to her animals, and she is neither producing it, nor paid to promote it, it’s worth a try, isn’t it?

Dixit Maeterlinck IV [en]

Notre bonheur dépend, en somme, de notre liberté intérieure.

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“La vérité ne vaut pas toujours le rêve, mais elle a celà  pour elle qu’elle est vraie.” [cité in]

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Tout ce qui existe console et raffermit le sage, car la sagesse consiste à  rechercher et à  admettre tout ce qui existe.

Maurice Maeterlinck, La sagesse et la destinée

Dixit Maeterlinck III [en]

L’imbécile intégral n’est jamais irrésolu. Le sage l’est souvent, comme Cicéron il hésite parce qu’il voit trop de choses à  la fois et toutes sur le même plan et dans la même clarté.

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[…] Chacun a le Dieu qu’il mérite, celui qu’avec le meilleur de son être il parvient à  créer au fond de son coeur.

Dites-moi quel est votre Dieu, ce qu’il fait, ce qu’il dit, ce qu’il pense, comment vous le voyez, je saurai qui vous êtes mieux que si j’avais vécu dix années avec vous.

Maurice Maeterlinck, Avant le grand silence

Dixit Maeterlinck II [en]

On souffre peu de sa souffrance même, on souffre énormément de la manière dont on l’accepte.

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Vous ne pouvez vous dire heureux que lorsque le bonheur vous a aidé à  gravir des hauteurs d’où vous pouvez le perdre de vue, sans perdre en même temps votre désir de vivre.

Maurice Maeterlinck, La sagesse et la destinée

Puke and Poop [en]

First dog puked all over the flat.
Then cat pooped on the bed (while I was in it, thank you).

Now cat is puking all over the flat.

I’ve told them time and time again not to eat all those rotten things they find outside, but they never listen.

Dixit Maeterlinck I [en]

La force active d’un événement ne se trouve que dans la manière dont on envisage cet événement.

Maurice Maeterlinck, La sagesse et la destinée

Entre gris clair et gris foncé [en]

It is a mistake to judge relationships or events as “overall good” and “overall bad”. Everything has good sides and bad sides. Summing up to just one of them will only contribute to repressing the other into darkness and denial.

There are times when one has to look at the “good” and the “bad” in things independantly – although of course they are never independant.

Looking back at all I have been through, I tend to say that everything was “overall good” because it has brought me where I am – and I am happy of where I am.
But it doesn’t mean I didn’t suffer. And even though it made me grow, it doesn’t mean I am happy with this pain, or that it doesn’t touch me as pain.

Understanding and loving someone who hurt us should not prevent us from dealing with the pain this person has caused. And that means putting love and understanding into brackets.