An Eighteen Year Veteran of Attachment Parenting, Breastfeeding and Home Schooling

Tell me what you want to know...
And I will see if I can help...
Seventeen years ago, I had the most miraculous, life changing, self affirming experience...I gave birth.
It wasn't perfect, there were problems
ALLLL kinds of problems
LOTS and
LOTS and
LOTS of problems
I was only 20...
I had taken a leave of absence from undergrad to give birth
At the behest of my mother and some of my more conservative friends, I had gotten married...a marriage that rapidly deteriorated to verbal and physical abuse
I had no job
I couldn't drive
And I had been raised to believe that
I was selfish
lazy
and impatient
BUT somehow the Most High saw fit to send me
to give me
to bless me with
this beautiful perfect little person who looked to me for
everything
It was the beginning of the most perfect love affair
and it catapulted me into adulthood and
womanhood
and goddesshood
It has been my experience that each child you carry and give birth to takes you to a higher level of
womanhood
And you learn something new and different and powerful about yourself with each pregnancy and birth as well
My oldest taught me that I was loving, and kind, and hard working and very very very patient
I studied, and researched, and asked questions and listened to the advice of my mother, my mother-in-law, my sisters, my sister-in-law and I strove to be the best possible mother I could be
I very quickly realized that the most informative source of how to be a good mother
Was
The Baby Herself!!!
She taught me to listen to myself
to listen to her
and listen to my heart
Years later
I have breastfed
home schooled
and attachment parented
four more wonderful children
from an Afrikan centered
Gynocentric (woman and child centered)
Goddess affirming perspective
For the past 15 of those years I have also been a priestess of the Munificent Mother YeYe Oshun
Leading and guiding individuals to the "door of their own understanding" as my Ajugbona the late Medahochi Kofi Zannu taught me ( Iba ara torun)
I administer Difas(readings), officiate at weddings, perform house cleansings, preside over naming ceremonies, and provide libations among many, many, many other things
My connection to the Yoruba culture was fostered by a lifelong interest in history
and learning of my own West Afrikan and Cherokee roots has also placed me in the position of griot of West Afrikan history and ways
Culminating in the writing of my book
Ona Agbani: The Ancient Way
Life has given me more than I ever thought possible
we have lived both in the US and abroad
my four oldest are professional performing artists
and my oldest is a published author at seventeen
I raised them in a way that is a radical departure from what we are taught to consider "normal"
and I didn't "break " them , nor are they spoiled brats
They are very sure of themselves and their place in the world

They are polite, sensitive, caring, responsible and talented

I followed my heart, with them, for them and through them and it was the best possible decision I have ever made

It worked and it continues to work, for them and for me

This blog is for those of you out there who have a deep desire to follow your heart, to heed your inner voice and to listen to your highest self

Look at this as a 'how to' guide to

Attachment Parenting

Home Schooling

Unschooling

Pagan Parenting

Raising Children in Orisha

Blending Families

one thing that I've never had that I've always desparately wanted is a mentor

That is what I am seeking to be for you

A mentor

A supporter

A personal cheerleader

A non judgemental observer in your world

A voice in the wilderness crying with you so that you are not crying out alone

someone who has been there

who has made it through

the sleepless nights

the stares and the jeers

the loneliness

the burnout

the lack of understanding from grandma's and inlaws and husbands and boyfriends

the days of staying in bed cause you do not have the energy to wage war with the rest of the world anymore

someone who can let you know that everything is going to be alright

Better Than Alright

Everything is going to be GLORIOUS!!

It is possible, and normal and good to raise children and live life on your own terms

Now I place the ball in your court...

Tell me what you want to know

and I will try to help you

questions

comments

answers???

I want to hear from you

I am waiting to hear from you