babies don’t steadily grow, they grow in spurts, which means on a growth day they’re in quite a lot of pain ... but no one takes it seriously because a baby can’t communicate that they’re growing over a centimeter over night and that HURTS

ok i dont see you trying to run a marathon every day during a growth spurt when you did it yesterday ... fuckin chill. that baby is hurting.

Neglected kids have less function in their temporal lobes and are more likely to suffer from mental illness whether they cognitively remember the events or not. Another thing that has been known for decades now.

It starts at birth. Children MUST be cared for. Leaving them to sob hysterically or punishing them in any way for being in pain can end up dooming them to a sad life. This culture of letting your kid cry and even getting mad at them for it is exactly why the older generations typically has such a problem with emphasizing with others.

My name is Kihnindewa, I’m a 22 yr old black ndn bisexual two-spirit (they/them, thank u). I’m a tarot reader, certified reiki practitioner, a writer & im trying to move out in 2021 ! Asap, really. I’m struggling really hard to function in my current situation & my quality of life is trash.

I live on tribal grounds in a food desert. I have to drive an hour round trip to buy food & medicine, and to work. I have joint issues, driving so much is slowly making my pain more & more unbearable. And I live in the home I was s*xually ab*sed in as a child, which is extremely hard on my PTSD. And that isn’t even everything. I cannot continue to live here. I was set to move out last month, with another black ndn two-spirit friend, but I was f*red after blatant racial discrimination & everything fell apart. Anyways.

I usually have tarot & reiki commissions open, and I have a part time job ! But the point of this post is to promote my patreon, where I do tarot readings & post poetry every month, to secure consistent income for myself. You can get familiar with my writing here* & check out some feedback from my tarot readings here & here :)

With my income at my r*staurant/r*tail job considered, my goal for patreon is $500 ! I’m currently at $85, which is amazing & I’m extremely grateful & proud. Thank you all so much for supporting me as much as u have. I would really appreciate boosting this post & considering becoming a patron if you can & you’re interested in what I do, thank you ily all so much.

(updated) 207/500 !!! You are all saving my life & giving me hope. No dramatics. Thank you

Patreon 💙

Wrtten by: Andrea Landry

Colonialism has motherhood/parenting all wrong.

No, our babies will not sleep alone as they have been sleeping beside us, on us, and between us, for generations before the colonizer told us what was “right.”

No, our babies will not “cry it out,” as they are designed to cry in order to get their needs met through us. It is scientifically proven that “crying it out” causes all kinds of trauma on the brain, and thus snowballs into long term emotional impacts. They will nurse, be held, hear our traditional songs and lullabies, and be placed in our swings for comfort, even if it is 10 times a night, so they know we are here and we love them fully.

No, our children will not stop nursing just because colonialism deems it as “inappropriate” anytime it is over the age of one. Because aunties and mothers (and even kokums) have been co-nursing our babies longer than colonialism has even existed. And it’s more than just food. It’s comfort, it’s connection, it’s safety. It’s love.

No, our babies will not be forced to grow up in order to cater to, and serve, capitalistic and colonial standards and environments in ways such as “sleeping through the night.” I’ll be up 10 times a night and show up the next day to get the work done. Until we are both ready to wean.

No, our babies will not have to endure tough outcomes in their lives based on our behaviours as adults- for how we treat others as adults, plants, animals and human, will fall back on our children, and our children’s children, and our children’s children’s children. We will treat one another with that deep love.

No, our babies will not be forced to suffer being away from kinships for long periods of time for the purpose of capitalism and colonial ideas of “success” for an adult. If babies are present in classrooms, boardrooms, and work spaces, nursing and playing just to get that connecting time, that is indigenous kinship.

No, our babies will not be shamed, judged, or criticized for feeling emotions, because we are undoing what those priests and those nuns have taught us about our relationship to our emotions. All emotions are allowed in our homes, and in public spaces.

And no, our babies will never cater to the colonizer, their systems, or their standards of what a “good child” is.

Colonialism has motherhood/parenting all wrong.

Because our babies will grow up firm in their kinships and strong in who they are and where they come from.

Based on raising them as best as we can with the teachings, morals, and principles, of our nations and teachings.

And based on raising them in a way that works for us.

Because this is indigenous parenthood.