I am woman, hear me roar!

mum-and-daughter

Welcome to the September Carnival of Natural Parenting: Parenting Through Play

This post was written for inclusion in the monthly Carnival of Natural Parenting hosted by Code Name: Mama and Hobo Mama. This month our participants have shared how challenging discipline situations can be met with play. Please read to the end to find a list of links to the other carnival participants.

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This month’s Carnival of Natural parenting theme was simple for me to write about. More often than not I find myself struggling for inspiration about what to write, but today’s came straight to me!

I’m absolutely an advocate for ‘play’ or more realistically, laughter.

Laughter can diffuse most situations; it’s rare laughter is totally inappropriate…

If Mr Green is getting stressed by something I can usually help him laugh at himself. I’m certainly great at laughing at myself and what more natural state for children to be in, than one of joy and laughter?

I have to admit though, I have a short fuse. It doesn’t take much to make me irritable or cross and I can get angry pretty quickly. In the past I have shouted, yelled and stomped around like a moody teenager, but now I prefer to roar.

You might be aware that primal screaming is a great way to release tension and clear energetic blockages. While screaming isn’t really my thing, Little Miss Green and I have perfected the art of roaring together.

I’m a bit of a mother lion anyway – if anyone threatens my cub there’s a price to pay, so what better way to release anger, express myself and have a giggle than roaring?

Now Little Miss Green and I can diffuse our own situations where we tend to get locked into arguing or shouting with a good roaring session. We look each other in the eye, put our hands on our knees, crouch down and roar as loudly as we can…

After a few good roars we are in a fit of giggles, rolling around on the floor cuddling and all the arguments have disappeared.

Its simple and effective. Goodness knows what the neighbours think but it works for us…

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Carnival of Natural Parenting -- Hobo Mama and Code Name: MamaVisit Hobo Mama and Code Name: Mama to find out how you can participate in the next Carnival of Natural Parenting!

Please take time to read the submissions by the other carnival participants:

32 Comments

  1. […] I am woman, hear me roar! — Mrs Green from Little Green Blog shares how one simple sound can diffuse an argument in an instant. […]



  2. […] I am woman, hear me roar! — Mrs Green from Little Green Blog shares how one simple sound can diffuse an argument in an instant. […]



  3. Parenting through play | MUMmedia on September 13, 2011 at 7:08 am

    […] I am woman, hear me roar! — Mrs Green from Little Green Blog shares how one simple sound can diffuse an argument in an instant. […]



  4. […] I am woman, hear me roar! — Mrs Green from Little Green Blog shares how one simple sound can diffuse an argument in an instant. […]



  5. A promise to my Daughter « An unschooling adventure on September 13, 2011 at 9:19 am

    […] I am woman, hear me roar! — Mrs Green from Little Green Blog shares how one simple sound can diffuse an argument in an instant. […]



  6. A Box of Crayons | Monkey Butt Junction on September 13, 2011 at 10:06 am

    […] I am woman, hear me roar! — Mrs Green from Little Green Blog shares how one simple sound can diffuse an argument in an instant. […]



  7. Hannah on September 13, 2011 at 10:58 am

    Grrrrrrrrrrrrr I like it Mrs Green! I also have a short fuse but do sometimes manage to catch myself and choose an exagerated roar instead of a genuine scream or a comment I’ll later regret. My kids roar anyway so I think this is a great idea I’ll use when we’re getting frustrated with each other.



  8. Lauren @ Hobo Mama on September 13, 2011 at 11:35 am

    I love the idea of crouching down at eye level and roaring to each other! That must be exactly how grumpy lionesses and cubs make things better. 🙂 I’m going to consider how I can add this into my grumpy-day repertoire.

    I also love that picture of you and your daughter!



  9. Deb @ Living Montessori Now on September 13, 2011 at 11:56 am

    What a great technique! Primal screaming is recommended to help adults heal emotionally. I love that your roaring is helping your daughter feel comfortable releasing her emotions in a constructive way from a young age. And that you’re both having fun with it is perfect! 🙂



  10. […] I am woman, hear me roar! — Mrs Green from Little Green Blog shares how one simple sound can diffuse an argument in an instant. […]



  11. Handling Big Emotions with RolePlaying « TouchstoneZ on September 13, 2011 at 12:43 pm

    […] I am woman, hear me roar! — Mrs Green from Little Green Blog shares how one simple sound can diffuse an argument in an instant. […]



  12. Dionna @ Code Name: Mama on September 13, 2011 at 1:49 pm

    What a great idea! Cohen talks in Playful Parenting about “fake screams” or “fake yells” – they serve the purpose of getting rid of some frustration w/o scaring the child. How awesome that you and your daughter both make roaring into a game!



  13. […] I am woman, hear me roar! — Mrs Green from Little Green Blog shares how one simple sound can diffuse an argument in an instant. […]



  14. Lynn on September 13, 2011 at 4:20 pm

    LOL Mrs Green!!! You and Little Miss Green really do roar!!!? HA – that’s fabulous! I am with ya – I definitely believe that laughter and giggling and being light-hearted can really make a difference! Might just have to give the lion thing a go!



  15. […] I am woman, hear me roar! — Mrs Green from Little Green Blog shares how one simple sound can diffuse an argument in an instant. […]



  16. teresa on September 13, 2011 at 5:19 pm

    I love this so much I can’t even tell you.
    I’ve tried to get my 4 year old daughter to do something like this, but I think we have to start doing it during play, so that when the tension is high we can find our way to it easily.
    Wonderful!!!



  17. Laura Burns on September 13, 2011 at 5:36 pm

    You’re awesome! I wonder what Liam would think if I roared back at him next time he throws a fit? Maybe if I threw in some chasing? He does love that, but a roar might really be what I need to put it over the edge!



  18. Learning Through Immersion | Diary of a First Child on September 13, 2011 at 6:11 pm

    […] I am woman, hear me roar! — Mrs Green from Little Green Blog shares how one simple sound can diffuse an argument in an instant. […]



  19. nadine sellers on September 13, 2011 at 8:11 pm

    as a babysitting tool, i have included my tried and true ” low growl” of my child rearing years…when i notice wrong behavior in the children, instead of raising my voice i simply lower my brow and emit a sustained warning growl–like mama lion would–if the child persists, i roll my throatiest roar, and raise my “paw” in the air in a stopping gesture–and give a little smile and purr as soon as the child stops misbehaving or fixes whatever was the object of conflict.

    ending as you do in giggles and relief..i have not heard of “natural parenting here but it is a “natural idea..



  20. […] I am woman, hear me roar! — Mrs Green from Little Green Blog shares how one simple sound can diffuse an argument in an instant. […]



  21. Charise @ I Thought I Knew Mama on September 13, 2011 at 9:06 pm

    I would love to see you roaring together! Fabulous!



  22. Momma Jorje on September 13, 2011 at 9:36 pm

    What a great approach to disagreements! Our little Sasha LOVES to roar… specifically with our Boppy Pillow on her head like a lion’s mane! Then she wants everyone in the house to take turns doing the same. She has now taken to throwing her hands behind her as she roars, as if to throw the sound even harder! It is one of the cutest things!

    I’m not much for actually yelling at each other (but totally have a short fuse that goes there, especially during this pregnancy)… I should try to remember to roar, though come to think about it I do just grumble loud noises sometimes. Perhaps if I can try to choose a silly sound… seems easier said than done when at the end of that fuse, but great advice! I’ll try to keep that in mind!



  23. […] I am woman, hear me roar! — Mrs Green from Little Green Blog shares how one simple sound can diffuse an argument in an instant. […]



  24. […] I am woman, hear me roar! — Mrs Green from Little Green Blog shares how one simple sound can diffuse an argument in an instant. […]



  25. Terri on September 14, 2011 at 2:25 am

    Roar!!! Yay I’ll be doing this more from now on…much better than screaming and thankfully we don’t have many neighbours!



  26. Gaby @ Tmuffin on September 14, 2011 at 2:44 am

    What a great idea! Baby T loves to roar. I am going to try this!

    You know, when he’s throwing a tantrum and screaming in a high pitched way to get my attention, I often pretend he’s a pterodactyl and that diffuses the situation. I’m going to change it to roaring and roar with him from now on!



  27. Wrestling Saved My Life « Wild Parenting on September 14, 2011 at 10:07 am

    […] I am woman, hear me roar! — Mrs Green from Little Green Blog shares how one simple sound can diffuse an argument in an instant. […]



  28. […] I am woman, hear me roar! — Mrs Green from Little Green Blog shares how one simple sound can diffuse an argument in an instant. […]



  29. Jenny @ I'm a full-time mummy on September 15, 2011 at 6:54 am

    Hi there, just want to drop a note of thanks for your support and encouragement during my struggles with tandem nursing at the moment. God bless you!



  30. Amy on September 15, 2011 at 6:33 pm

    I, too, find myself channeling a lioness throughout my parenting journey. I especially love to think about the way a lioness will calmly but quickly remove a cub from danger or redirect a cub from mischief. Lionesses fascinate me. They really do.

    Anyway, I loved your post! Roaring games can be inappropriate for some ages and characters. . . I look forward to the day when a roar-fest will send my daughter into giggles instead of causing her to roar back at me! 🙂 She’s so very sensitive. . . and my parenting pot-hole is raising my voice and raging vocally. . . so I think we’ll stick to singing for now. But this is an excellent idea for parents who are on the less volatile side 🙂



  31. […] I am woman, hear me roar! — Mrs Green from Little Green Blog shares how one simple sound can diffuse an argument in an instant. […]



  32. […] I am woman, hear me roar! — Mrs Green from Little Green Blog shares how one simple sound can diffuse an argument in an instant. […]