Synergy means the whole is greater then that some of its parts.  That is the power a Democratic family. 

The concept is that when you have more people helping in the process, you get better ideas.  When you make a conscious decision to be a Democratic Family, you decide to share your viewpoint, listen to others, and come to a mutual understanding that everyone can agree to. 

In such a family, you have happy, healthy members.  You have a peaceful home and a place where even outsiders find a refuge from the world.  So the rules of a Democratic family are simple; you talk to each other, you listen to each other, you respect others viewpoints, you’re clear on decisions made, and you’re willing to change those decisions in the future as needs change. 

It’s that easy, and it is worth the time, energy, effort and shift in your own thinking that you might need to make to make a democratic family happen.  I highly recommend it, because I have seen the joy it has brought to me and my family.

To share your MomThought, go to MomThought.com or call 206-350-3037.

Thank you,

Joan Romero

What do you get when you give kids human rights?  You get really smart kids, and you, in turn, have to get pretty clever yourself.  Studies have shown that children from democratic families have an average of 8 points higher IQ. 

Control is a farce.  It does not exist.  The paradox is that those who you think you have control over, are still in control.  They have chosen to submit and at any moment can change their minds.  And when they do, what they have been taught is that control means controlling others. 

When you treat others with mutual respect and basic rights, no matter how old they are, you teach them that they are in control of themselves.  And they have learned that the only control they have is self control. 

So instead of trying to control your kids, talk and reason with them with the kind of respect you would give any other adult.  You may have to reword it on a level they understand, but everyone, no matter what the age, understands mutual love and respect. 

Start being a protector of your children’s personalities and ideas.  Be a protector of their environment.  Keep your kids safe, and together you can experience life.
To share your MomThought, go to MomThought.com or call 206-350-3037.
Thank you,
Joan Romero

My parenting story began when Eden, my first child, was six months old.  Ruben and I got a job working as weekend House Parents at a private school.  It was a house full of 12 elementary school girls.  We took care of them every other weekend. 

The school they attended was a very strict.  Ruben and I did the best we could to provide consistency by doing all we were told. 

After one year, we moved to another home that had 10 middle school boys.  We were working there when I gave birth to Enoch, our second child.  The structure of the home was similar to the first. 

We did what we could to please the regular house parents.  To aid us in our job, we started to read a lot on parenting and, the more we read, the less we liked working under such strict and unrealistic circumstances. 

It was unhealthy for the kids and began to be unhealthy for us as well.  The regular house parents wanted us to be consistent with their unnaturally strict ways but then we were trying to be something that we were not. 

And kids are smart.  They know you are lying to them when you try to act in a “role” that is not your own.  In the end, we decided that it wasn’t good for us to stay in an unhealthy environment. 

So we left the job, but took with us all that we had learned.  And we are grateful for the experience.
To share your MomThought, go to MomThought.com or call 206-350-3037.
Thank you,
Joan Romero

I watched a friend of mine start a fire with out matches.  He used two sticks and got some dry corn silk smoldering then he held it in his hands to protect it from the breeze. 

The smoke, slightly increased and the corn silk was then added to tiny twigs a few seconds later.  We had a flame, which was then turned into a roaring fire on which we made dessert. 

The experience impressed upon my mind our role of Parent as Protector.  Our children come to us very small and helpless.  A seemingly small experience (like the breeze) can extinguish their impressionable personalities.  But as we protect them and their personalities, we give them the fuel they need to grow and be able to accomplish great things in life.
To share your MomThought, go to MomThought.com or call 206-350-3037.
Thank you,
Joan Romero

We all have one life to live. And as a parent you only have a few precious years with your children before they separate themselves to learn about life on their own.

I think this scares some people. Because parenting is just too important, they’re afraid to try something new. So, if they stick with what they know then they can be pretty certain of the outcome. Besides, that is how they were raised, and they turned out okay.

But what if they try something new, and it doesn’t work. Or even worse, it does. What if you took a different approach to parenting and your kids were different.

I offer the thought that different isn’t bad. When you look at the majority and see things you do not want for your children such as obesity, teenage pregnancy addictions, I suggest that different can’t be all that bad. People who are different have original ideas, are innovative, and forward thinking.

These are the trend setters, the leaders, and the clear thinkers of the future. That’s who I want taking care of me in my old age. So please don’t be afraid to try something new.

To share your MomThought, go to MomThought.com or call 206-350-3037.

Thank you,

Joan Romero

Children are often denied basic human rights.   When was the last time you give a child, the right to remain silent or the right to free speech?  How about the right to security - the right to not be afraid that they will be hurt (this would include spankings and other such threats)?  How often do children get the right to vote and get the ability to have some says in the rules that will affect them?  What about the right to think freely?  How often do adults intrude, on the private thoughts of children?  How often do we tell children how they should or should not be feeling? 

These are all signs that adults, or parents, are trying to mold and shape children.  But they are not clay to be molded they are not puppets.  They are individuals, and at the very least, they are human beings that deserve the same rights and respect as any other human being. 

To share your MomThought, go to MomThought.com or call 206-350-3037. 

Thank you. 

Joan Romero