Category Archives: Discipline

No, I Don’t Spank or Yell at My Toddler. Yes, He is Very Well Behaved.

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Recently I was a member of a black moms Facebook group where the topic of discipline came up frequently. It’s one of those hardline subjects in black culture that folks debate heavily but rarely change their minds on. The main argument in defense of spanking seemed to be that children who are whooped grow up…

Leila

About Leila

Leila is the founding editor of Baby and Blog. She splits her time between editing hair and culture site, Black Girl with Long Hair, whipping up butters at BGLH Marketplace, and writing here. She adores her husband and two kids, her parents and her friends. But she hates Chicago weather although she is slowly coming to peace with it...

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Why Speaking Gently to Our Kids is Even More Important in the Era of Black Lives Matter

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While out on a New Year’s Eve run, I passed by a family loading up in their van. Kids piled in quickly and a woman spoke harshly, “I’ve been calling you and calling you. I’ve been waiting here.” Uh oh, I smiled to myself thinking of how frustrating it is when I’m ready to leave…

About Alicia B

Alicia lives and took a semester of photography in a small college town that often challenges her resolve to live as simply and as stress-free as possible. When she’s not working, rereading the same children’s books, cooking, or wondering how crunchy she’s become, she’s busy updating her site, liciabobesha.com. You can follow her on facebook.

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3 Reasons I Don’t Spank

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By Alicia Barnes, liciabobesha.com We don’t spank in our house. Even with a two year old who has very big emotions. We don’t spank, or whoop, or pop, or beat, or yell. There are lots of interesting cognitive and social studies on the negatives of spanking, but I call on my own experiences for why…

About Alicia B

Alicia lives and took a semester of photography in a small college town that often challenges her resolve to live as simply and as stress-free as possible. When she’s not working, rereading the same children’s books, cooking, or wondering how crunchy she’s become, she’s busy updating her site, liciabobesha.com. You can follow her on facebook.

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Is Not Spanking Your Child a “White Thing”?

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A few days ago I came across an article on Ebony Magazine’s website written by a new mother describing her approach to parenting, which included natural childbirth, breastfeeding and not spanking. The author labeled her choices as “white parenting decisions”, and connected black mothers’ use of physical punishment to slavery. Here’s an excerpt: “Finally, a…

Leila

About Leila

Leila is the founding editor of Baby and Blog. She splits her time between editing hair and culture site, Black Girl with Long Hair, whipping up butters at BGLH Marketplace, and writing here. She adores her husband and two kids, her parents and her friends. But she hates Chicago weather although she is slowly coming to peace with it...

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