I cannot get away from how absolutely pathetic she sounds 'please be gentle with me...' you have the answers Nicola, you just do not want to accept them because they don't fit in with your very narrow minded parenting ideal. For a group that are so free thinking and radical, they sure have a lot of issues with being flexible and 'go with the flow'. You're setting your children up to have zero resilience in a world that is going to eat them alive because you have failed to prepare them for it.
If you believe *that much* in your chosen parenting style, why do you question absolutely everything you do in relation relation your kids? Just admit it hasn't worked out the way you idealised it in your head and move on and do what is right for you and your family and not worry what crunchy mums will say on the Internet. Pathetic.