Welcome to the Joiner Flourishing Blogs What if science could tell us how best to flourish? And what if nurturing our infants was the most efficient pathway to facilitating a flourishing state in humans, but this knowledge was not readily available remaining largely within inaccessible university and research domains? The consequence is that parents are left wondering how best to nurture their infants and, without the information they need to make uninformed decisions about t

In this blog I investigate and report on attachment theory and infant neuroscientific research which details the most important positive nurturing practices and their consequences. Outcome: JFP Principle 2 The ways in which infants are nurtured have profound effects on their brain development and whether they establish long-term positive or negative social and emotional pathways. Whether you’re a parent-to-be, a parent, grandparent, or someone interested in your own early exp

In this blog I build on the neuroscientific data outlined in JFP Blog 2 including further research investigating both mother’s and father’s nurturing capacities; adding another dimension to the dilemma for women looking to return to the workforce soon after the birth of their babies. Outcome: JFP Principle 3 There are good reasons for mothers to spend a larger proportion of time with their infants in the first year, than fathers, as mothers have greater sensitivity to infant

Investigating research which outlines measurable high stress levels in infants attending long-day childcare and amalgamating it with nurturing data, builds a picture of concern. Outcome: JFP Principle 4 Childcare may not be the cure-all we thought it was for women’s autonomy and a family’s economic security. While it has become an accepted part of modern life, research suggests childcare may have long-term negative effects for infants that deserve closer attention. This is a

In the blog exploring JFP Principle 2 - Nurturing – research revealed that childcare may have negative consequences for some infants. It is useful here to stop to examine what our obligations are to infants. I also outlined why childcare is not a good alternative for infants because it can compromise their long-term wellbeing, and I’ve argued that mothers represent the best carers of their children for at least the first 18 months of life – now I suggest is a good juncture t

To continue with our ethical investigations, we also need to ask what obligations we have to ourselves as parents. ​Outcome - JFP Principle 6 We do have obligations to ourselves: our wellbeing matters, and we have a legitimate responsibility to construct lives in which our own flourishing is valued and protected. However, these obligations cannot be pursued at the expense of our children’s wellbeing, particularly given their profound vulnerability and dependence on us. Autono

So far during our investigations into attachment theory, infant neuroscience, and the ethics of parenting, the word love is largely absent. In this blog, I turn to ask why this important word is so underused, and if it really matters? Outcome: JFP Principle 7 Love is both the fire that ignites a parent’s desire to care and the essential experience through which infants come to feel secure, valued, and a sense of belonging. For infants to thrive, love must be communicated thr

If our long-term aim in raising infants is to enable them to flourish as individuals, we need to identify the markers of flourishing and understand how these relate to infancy. ​ Outcome: JFP Principle 8 To flourish is to develop the personal capacities and attributes that enable us to live fulfilling, meaningful, and connected lives. The close relationship between these qualities and having experienced secure attachment in infancy, highlights the importance of understanding

In this blog, I turn to the first of two foundational societal influences (the other feminism), that have influenced our acceptance of childcare without much questioning. In this blog I dissect liberalist thinking and look at how it has influenced individual expectations. This provides some insight as to why childcare has been chosen to facilitate women’s autonomy. So, what are, and how have, the principles of liberalism affected us? ​Outcome – JFP Principle 9 The influence o

While not viewed by philosophers as an aspect of liberalism, capitalism has expanded and developed unchecked, and with it, the even greater elevation of individualistic liberalist ideals. ​Outcome – JFP Principle 10 We have been seduced into thinking consuming and wealth creation will bring happiness, yet evidence shows focusing on wealth creation fosters greed and alienates us from each other, which has measurable reductions in wellbeing, and happiness. At the same time, it

Here, we investigate how feminism has influenced women’s views of themselves and their autonomy, particularly in relation to motherhood and decisions about childcare. Outcome - JFP Principle 11 While feminism has brought many significant and positive changes to women’s lives, sameness-based feminism came to overshadow ‘difference feminism’. In privileging women’s capacity to ‘do as men did’, this approach risked positioning traditionally female roles as less valuable or less

How has motherhood been viewed in the past and how has this influenced the way we see and experience motherhood now? ​Outcome - JFP Principle 12 Over the past 70 years, motherhood has not only received limited social recognition and respect but has at times been portrayed as an adherence to traditional patriarchal roles and as incompatible with ambition and achievement. Society needs to recognise and restore the value and significance of motherhood, including the profound con

While motherhood was discussed in Principle 12, the associated practical problems to do with career, money, and education are yet to be addressed. ​Outcome - JFP Principle 13 There remain significant structural barriers to carrying out maternal work and until understood and acknowledged by governments and fundamental supports provided, such as wages, superannuation, and educational support, then we will continue to make maternal work difficult to undertake, undermining the we

When moving from a place of work with comradery, respect, and status to a place of isolation with none of these, is it any wonder many women experience shock and uncertain periods when taking on maternal work? ​Outcome - JFP Principle 14 For women who have previously experienced the social interactions of the workplace, and many other benefits, the transition to full-time motherhood with its negative connotations, social isolation and a profound shift in identity and daily li

If, after exploring liberalism, feminism, and the complex issues around motherhood, you find yourself in a confused or unsettled place, you’re not alone. These frameworks reveal just how flawed many of our social structures are—particularly in how they undervalue care, emotional connection, and human wellbeing. To move forward, we turn to ethics—not just as a philosophical pursuit, but as a practical tool for understanding how to live well. Outcome - JFP Principle 15 A review

How can an ethic of social, emotional, and moral wellbeing help families navigate the competing demands of individual autonomy, parental wellbeing, and children’s developmental needs, while recognising that the flourishing of each family member is deeply interconnected with that of the others? Outcome - JFP Principle 16 An ethic of social, emotional and moral wellbeing provides a framework for moving beyond an either/or choice between the wellbeing of parents and that of chil