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Parenting From The Heart

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About

Mommy blogger, parenting, sponsored posts

Hi! I’m Alana. Originally from Vancouver, BC, I am the mom to three young kids. Just a couple of years ago, I was the mom of two under two. Quickly learning through play and positive parenting strategies became my saving graces. Though I am learning as I go, I love to do dust of the login details and pour through psych research. Parenting from the Heart is the culmination of my life lessons with my kids, research, fun activities we’ve done!

What IS Parenting from the Heart?

Having studied development psychology during my undergrad, my parenting can best be defined as influenced by a little bit of research, a bit of family tradition, a bit of instinct, and a whole lot of love. Toddlers are boundary testers. Based on my experience, empathy, paraphrasing, learning through play, and clear expectations yield the best results.

 

WHY I STARTED BLOGGING

When I got pregnant much sooner than we had planned with our second, I knew I would have to get creative fast. Parenting two under two was not what I planned on, but it has opened up my life and my heart boundlessly. Being at home with my two very young toddlers has yielded so many life lessons, as well as a perpetual need for coffee. I wanted to share some of what we do and some of the things we learned along the way. Little did I know, I would soon have readers, commenters, and people sharing in my writing!

 

Now, I spend my days blogging, cleaning, playing, crafting, cleaning some more, nursing cold coffee, exploring, and re-exploring all of life’s wonders through my children’s eyes.

 

I’m so honoured to have you visit my blog and am happy to have you join along as I parent from the heart <3

Contact

If you are interested in having your product or service reviewed, please email me to discuss rates and other information.

 

Accolades & Other Accomplishments

VancouverMom.ca Top 30 Bloggers of 2015

Top30Collage

FEATURED ON
Mamapedia

Scary Mommy

EnviroKidz

Our Favourite Vancouver Mom Instagrammers

 Mamalode

Embrace Her Health

 For Every Mom

 YouShareProject

Time Magazine (quote)

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Ina Library says

    July 18, 2015 at 4:03 pm

    Your energy and attitude are electric! I’m so happy that I found a mom like you who is passionate about writing and motherhood. Can’t wait to read more!!

    Reply
    • Alana says

      July 21, 2015 at 12:17 am

      This is so kind! I can’t wait to check out your blog too <3

      Reply
  2. smilingawayfoodallergies says

    September 5, 2015 at 5:37 pm

    I continue to be inspired by your blog. Because of this, I am nominating you for a Sunshine Blogger award. =)
    https://smilingawayfoodallergies.wordpress.com/2015/09/05/sunshine-blogger-award/

    Reply
  3. Brittany Logsdon says

    January 30, 2018 at 9:15 am

    Hello! Lots of great information on your blog! Thanks for sharing <3

    Reply
  4. Cecilia Lopez says

    July 16, 2018 at 6:20 pm

    Hi Alana,
    I love your blog and all the information you are sharing with us. Thank you so much for that!
    Wondering if you have some information regarding kids afraid of dogs. We just got a puppy recently and my son (6 yrs old) love her but my daughter (8 yrs old) was good with the puppy for few days only and then she started reacting very scared every time the dog is moving around and she is not able to even walk close to the dog or move around the house without jumping on all chairs and trying to keep her feet away from the dog.
    I want to know how can I help my daughter? how can she believe that the puppy is not going to hurt her?
    how should I manage this situation?

    instead of been happy about the new family member, I am super stressed and sad, I can’t understand what is going on on her mind, I noticed she is not listening at all what I am saying and I just don’t know what to do.
    Thank you in advance,
    Cecilia

    Reply
    • Alana Pace says

      July 27, 2018 at 6:49 pm

      Hi Cecilia,

      Thank you so much for your kind words and for your important question. It must be so hard for you as a parent to see your daughter so fearful and be unsure of how to respond. When it comes to addressing your daughter’s fear, one of the most effective means of treatment is what’s known as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT). While working with a trained professional is the best course of action, you can read up on using the techniques at home at your own discretion. Here is one resource. If you google CBT for phobias you will find many more resources on the topic. I hope this helps and please let me know if you have any additional questions and I’ll do my best to help.

      Reply
  5. Kelly says

    August 5, 2022 at 7:50 am

    Hi Alana! I’m a FTM to a beautiful 3 month old baby girl and I’m so happy I found your blog! Positive parenting sums up our approach to raising our daughter. I didn’t know there was a name for it! Can’t wait to follow along and read more good stuff from you.

    Reply

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Hi! I'm Alana. When I'm not nursing cold, stale coffee, I usually can be found with the baby on my hip, barefoot, and racing after my two older kids. Thanks to a degree in psychology and a free-range childhood backing onto an expansive evergreen forest, positive parenting and play-based learning are my passions. Read more here.

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Alana-Parenting From The Heart
Me to my 5yo: stay still I want to take your pictu Me to my 5yo: stay still I want to take your picture.
My 5yo:
A beautiful reminder to find little ways to connec A beautiful reminder to find little ways to connect with our children ❤️❤️❤️
Often people fear responsive parenting will create Often people fear responsive parenting will create needy kids. 

Developmental research suggests otherwise. 

The more reliably and compassionately that we respond to our children’s needs, the more secure and assured they feel to venture out into the world.

Attachment & independence aren’t two opposite sides of a spectrum but two sides of the same coin.
😍Yep - Absolutely love this. via @Angela Anagno 😍Yep - Absolutely love this.
via @Angela Anagnost-Repke, Writer
Every. single. time I see this I laugh out loud 🤣🤣🤣
I can't think of anything more true.
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Yes 👏👏👏 via @DissociativeDiaries Yes 👏👏👏
via @DissociativeDiaries
Every. Day. Via Matt Beaudreau Every. Day.

Via Matt Beaudreau
I remember in my earlier days of parenting when I I remember in my earlier days of parenting when I had two under two so much of my life was spent thinking I’ll be happy when…

I’ll be happy when they sleep through the night.

I’ll be happy when my husband doesn’t have to work such late hours.

I’ll be happy when I look and feel like myself again and not a feeding troth 😬😬😬

As it turns out this struggle with finding happiness isn’t unique to me or parenting. 

Collectively our mental health is suffering, but there are many research backed ways to improve happiness. (Link in bio to read more).
♥️♥️ via Heather Shumaker ♥️♥️

via Heather Shumaker
THIS. 🙌🙌 (Follow Maryfairy Boberry) THIS. 🙌🙌 (Follow Maryfairy Boberry)
👣 via @creativechildmag 👣

via @creativechildmag
via Happy as a Mother 🙂❤ via Happy as a Mother 🙂❤
Though there are countless people who understand t Though there are countless people who understand the importance of positive, responsive parenting, the idea that young children should self-soothe remains a prevalent belief.

Though this ideology is well-intentioned, it actually goes against what we know about human development.

Babies come into the world highly dependent on responsive caregiving not only for nurturance and protection but also to foster social and emotional development.

While it may seem that leaving a child to cry will help her learn to cope, it actually floods her brain with cortisol. She doesn’t learn to self-soothe but instead to shut down.

Though it may seem counterintuitive to some, independence is fostered through responsive care. The less stressed a child feels, the safer he feels to explore his world. The less stressed he feels, the more appropriate his emotional responses become.

This is first seen in late infancy but pervades through childhood and adulthood.

Have any questions about these findings? Feel free to comment below or send me a message!
❤️❤️❤️❤️ Teach Through Love ❤️❤️❤️❤️ Teach Through Love
via @unconditional_parenting. via @unconditional_parenting.
via The Outnumbered Mother via The Outnumbered Mother
❤❤❤ ❤❤❤
😂 😂
So often independence and attachment are thought t So often independence and attachment are thought to be mutually exclusive.
However, research shows that in order for children (and adults) to be independent, they need to feel safe and secure within their closest relationships. In childhood, this means having caregivers who respond to distress and both emotional and physical needs.
In adulthood, people who have responsive and caring partners feel more stable and comfortable being independent.
So hold and comfort those babies.
Hug and respond to your kids.
Love and hold space for the adults you are closest to.
Attachment fosters independence.
Absolutely this. Via Living FULL Absolutely this. Via Living FULL
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