294: Matrescence and Child Development with Christine Carrig

Becoming a mother is an intricate dance of transition that impacts every part of a woman’s life down to her very identity. Matrescence is the name for this “motherhood development process,” and it’s not an easy journey for every woman to navigate. This process is every bit as vital to a healthy, thriving family as child development, but it’s often overlooked or pushed to the back burner. Join us as we dive into this topic in today’s episode!  Christine Carrig is the founding director of Carrig Montessori School in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. She has been a Montessori teacher and administrator with a focus on early childhood education for nearly two decades. Since becoming a mother eleven years ago, Christine has brought the same level of passion and inquiry to maternal development as she has always had for childhood development. She is the writer in residence for Khora, the Maternal & Reproductive Psychology Lab at Teachers College, Columbia University, where she focuses her writing on the intersection between child development and maternal development in hopes of bringing a more holistic view to the parent-child dyad. She lives in Queens, NY, with her husband and their four children.  Show Highlights: How Christine came into the work she does today How Christine defines and explains matrescence Why matrescence can be compared to adolescence in the scope and intensity of the changes Why we need to support and validate mothers and not try to “fix” them How Christine’s personal experiences with motherhood have aligned with what she has learned about matrescence How to understand the matrescence process through the story of “the six blind men and the elephant” How to keep a helpful perspective of the parent-child dyad How a lack of honoring matrescence shows up for parents in Christine’s work How mothers are negatively influenced by social media input on topics like gentle parenting Why we need to have balance in child development AND mother development instead of taking a largely child-centric approach Resources: Connect with Christine Carrig: Carrig Montessori School, The Family Flow, Instagram, and LinkedIn Click here to read Christine’s Insider article about gentle parenting mentioned in this episode.  Visit www.postpartum.net for resources and support!  Visit www.postpartum.net/professionals/certificate-trainings/ for information on the grief course.   Visit my website, www.wellmindperinatal.com, for more information, resources, and courses you can take today!