I have listened to the ramblings of child experts all my life and was refreshed to hear the key message of author Maria Gavriel in "Love Centered Parenting" that parents are really the ones who know best what is good for their children and family.
In her book Love Centered Parenting Gavriel urges parents to learn the skill of listening to the sound of their inner wisdom and relying on intuition to determine what is best for their child.
Husband and wife working together can discover the best approaches to take and then can rely on community for support.
Gavriel's holistic approach to life includes an emphasis on healthy foods, natural birth, breast feeding, and avoiding the traps of the commercialization of children, the negative impact of media, the dangers of processed (refined) sugar, and the risks of vaccinating children.
Gavriel writes with conviction, backed up not only by personal experience but with extensive research which she cites throughout the book.
In the early pages I was hesitant about taking an intuitive approach to parenting and shying away from experts, but pages later the approach is not only becomes less of a concern and actually begins to make sense.
Born in Toronto, Canada, to Greek parents, Maria's attempts to conceive her first child led to an exploration of a healthy lifestyle including all aspects of natural healthcare.
Gavriel is a member of the Holistic Moms Network and of the Waldorf Education parents' groups.
Maria blogs regularly about family life, and shares information about green products, links to useful articles, and weekly tips and meditations.
For the past six years Gavriel has presented workshops to the community on topics including GMOs in our food, the commercialization of childhood, therapeutic essential oils, and tips for dealing with common health issues.
During her outreach, Maria has been invited to share about her events by NPR News and other forms of media.
Maria participated in a workshop with Dr.
Michael Gaeta on vaccine awareness, has assisted in healing workshops, and has written for Wise Mom magazine.
Maria earned a BA in Psychology from Queens College and has studied geology.
Married with two children, Maria lives on Long Island where she practices independently as a paralegal.
Anyone facing the prospect of raising a child for the first time, or of raising a teenager for the first time, will benefit greatly from reading "Love Centered Parenting.
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