TPJ 29: Forget the Extremes, Try the Radical Middle

We’re faced with many decisions in this parenting journey, and many options seem to be extreme on one side or the other.

Should you be a whole life unschooler, or punish your children when they don’t get straight As in school?

Should you work outside the home and climb the corporate ladder or should you surrender to a life of staying at home, giving up on your interests and income in favor of parenting?

Should you give them free access to screens or should you be completely screen free?

Not only does it feel polarizing but it also can make us feel like we don’t really fit in anywhere if we aren’t on either end of the extreme. 

I’m going to offer up an alternative - the radical middle. I won’t say it will be easy. Let’s face it, when you make the decision to stay curious and not sit on either end of the extreme it can be hard. You’re choosing to create a path instead of following one that’s already laid down. Being in the middle means we think about all the decisions and what works for us right now and we stay open to learn more and change our minds if a different decision would better meet our families needs.

In this episode we’ll discuss how you don’t have to choose one extreme over another, and that most of us fall somewhere in the middle of the spectrum. Here’s what you’ll hear: 

[5:03] Decision fatigue is real 

[8:36] How to combat decision fatigue

[9:53] Example 1: Discipline

[13:27] Example 2: Sleep training

[17:11] Example 3: Education

[19:18] Example 4: Boundaries

[23:00] What is my identity in parenting?

[24:02] The radical middle.

[25:50] Pick what’s best and leave the rest.

[29:19] The middle is hard

[32:44] The middle is brave 

[34:44] The middle is radical.

The middle can be messy. It’s not always neat and clear because there is no one size fits all.  At the end of the day the answer is always “it depends.” 

If you enjoyed this episode and it inspired you in some way, I’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Take a selfie of you listening or a screenshot of the show, post it to instagram stories, and tag me @theparentingjunkie or feel free to DM me on instagram, I try to reply to as many as I can!

Are you subscribed to my podcast? Subscribe here so that fresh episodes are delivered directly to you.

Those shiny 5 star ratings and sweet reviews have me all gushy, thank you. But more importantly they help other parents discover the Parenting Junkie Show and spread the word about Loving parenting and Parenting from Love. If you have a moment to spare, those reviews mean the world to me, you can leave one here. 

Come join the messy middle and connect to like minded parenting junkies!
Join our (free & awesome) FB community Love Parenting with Avital.

Show Notes: https://www.theparentingjunkie.com/29