About Kelly
Welcome, and I’m so glad you’re here! I started this blog as a way to sort through my thoughts and understanding of positive parenting, and each day I welcome more and more parents here who are doing the same thing. I write about “positive parenting”–that is, raising kids without punishments, threats, bribes and rewards. I write about unconditional parenting, attachment parenting, connected parenting…relationship-based parenting.
It is not easy. Each day I am challenged to find ways to connect to my quickly-growing kids while teaching them empathy, respect, self-discipline, confidence, resilience, and a host of other awesome attributes. Aren’t we all? It’s not easy, is it? Compared with “traditional” discipline, positive parenting is like starting from scratch. We must re-learn many things we thought we knew about how to raise kids. Unconditionality and emotional connection do not come easily for many parents.
To help me learn and practice the how-tos of positive parenting, in 2009 I became certified through the Positive Discipline Association as a Positive Discipline Parent Educator. I’m also certified through Attachment Parenting International as an API Leader. I teach parent-ed. classes, speak to schools, and lead support groups to help parents through this challenging journey of parenting.
But mostly, I write. Here, as well as for other publications. My articles on parenting are published in magazines all over the world. I write regularly on child development, family relationships and positive discipline for The Attached Family magazine, Nurture magazine, and Green Child magazine. One of my goals as a writer is to make scientific research more accessible and understandable to parents; to demonstrate how brain science is applicable to positive parenting techniques.
My approach to parenting is based on the works of…
Gordon Neufeld
Marshall Rosenberg
Dan Siegel
Jane Nelsen
Bonnie Harris
Laura Markham
Pam Leo
Janet Lansbury
Brene Brown
Elizabeth Pantley
Carol Dweck
Elaine Aron
Mary Sheedy Kurcinka
Every day, my kids inspire me. Everyday, other parents inspire me. Everyday, I wonder how we can raise the next generation of children so that this world will become a kinder place. Please join me on my journey and share in my thinking.I hope you are able to gain something from what you read here, and that you’ll continue to come back. It’s nice to meet you, and here’s to parenting mindfully!
~Kelly Bartlett
kelly@kellybartlett.net
Parenting From Scratch 
lia dominique andress said,
December 15, 2010 at 6:11 pm
I came across your blog via Stephanie Brandt with Mama and Baby Love. She is a dear friend of mine. Your description of yourself sounds like me. I have a ten month old daughter and am discovering more and more about myself through being her mother.
Best!
LDA
Kelly said,
December 16, 2010 at 8:15 am
Yes, motherhood changes you so much, doesn’t it? Welcome!
Kristen said,
January 16, 2011 at 4:27 pm
Hi Kelly,
I came across an article you wrote about positive discipline on the API website. I was actually searching for gentle discipline workshops and or parent educators in my area and the article came up on google since we live in the same city. I work full time, so I’m definitely in the minority in terms of AP/NP stuff amongst my colleagues. Looking forward to following your blog!
Kristen (aka the irreverent mama)
Kelly said,
January 16, 2011 at 4:57 pm
Hi Kristen! There are a few great positive discipline educators in Portland…one even has a class starting in a couple of weeks. I recommend the Portland API support group meetings on positive discipline topics as well. Glad to know of another PD family in the area! 🙂
Terreah Dietel said,
August 17, 2012 at 10:49 pm
Love, love your introspection into the emotional aspect of truly understanding this type of a child. Doing Intake/Case Management, for a single Women’s Shelter…..I see clearly this type of woman presenting often,depicted as a introvert, never having gotten diagnosed/ ??? Sadly, long overdue. As you so plainly stated……it can be complicated if not caught/recognized early on. Having an Introverted daughter, the schools always encouraged more socialization, more stimulation in peer activities, extra curricular- anything! It never worked, and she became more so. Interestingly, while intentions were well meant, I backed away from the “norm”…..approach & let her develop “naturally” …….as she was keen enough to know what worked for her.
5 Love Languages was immeasurably a Godsend back then.
Thanks for all your diligence in your research & getting light shed on the Introverted Child.
Courtney said,
November 16, 2013 at 6:22 am
Kelly- I just spent some time this morning with your blog and fb page. Thank you for your wonderful insights. I feel so inspired and ready for the day. -Courtney Neron
Kelly said,
November 16, 2013 at 9:06 pm
Thank you Courtney! It’s s good to reconnect with you (both at school and online). 🙂 Your kind words made my day.
Melissa Giles said,
November 18, 2015 at 8:49 pm
This may sound crazy, but my feeling tonight is IT EXISTS and I’m ready to learn and grow as a parent to build a kinder generation.