I know better, really I do, than to get involved in the breast vs. bottle debate on the SL forums. It always turns hot. But here I sit resting my back, in severe pain and on drugs (not a good combo for staying out of debate LOL) and just didn't stop myself.
There are so many choices in parenting. They start before the baby is even born!
- Hospital birth or birthing center or home birth
- Totally natural or utilize drugs
- VBAC or repeat C-section
- Breast, bottle, both?
- Cloth diapers or disposable diapers or elimination communication
- Family bed or crib
- Attachment parenting or Baby Wise
- When to start solids
- SAHM or Working Mom
- Public school, private school or home school
Guess what?!?!? I really don't care if you don't choose the same way I did. All of those things are valid and have pros and cons when it comes to parenting.
I also don't want to hear how I'm a horrible mother if I didn't do it your way. I am not selfish nor am I lazy. I am happy and confident in all of the choices I've made. I don't want to hear snide remarks about how I educate my children. I also don't want to hear you complain about the public schools and then criticize my educational choices.
But in return, I will not criticize your parenting choices. What difference does it make to me if you have a medicated hospital birth, bottle feed, go back to work when your baby is 6 weeks old, let your babies cry it out in their cribs and send them to public school when the time comes? Those are your choices! I will not criticize you. If asked, I will offer an opinion. But I will do my very best not to sound like I'm coming from my high horse and my way is the only way and it's God's only way!
So, ladies, wouldn't it be so much better if we encouraged each other along the way. Just because somebody does it differently than you do should not make you feel threatened nor should it make you judgmental!
I am SO glad God only expects me to answer for my own family. It's all I can do to make sure I/we are following God's plan. I really don't have time to make sure you and yours are too!
7 comments:
Amen!
Its even better when you are like me. I will shout from the rooftops the wonders of modern medicine and drugs during labor, but I cloth diaper. I get lots of questions about why we don't eat organic, use a birthing center, etc. My answer, well this works for us. Five years from now things might be completely different. Shoot, once we have a second in diapers things might be completely different. So I really don't understand why people get judged for their parenting decisions. As long as the child is fed, changed, and sheltered the details don't really matter.
You go girl!
Amen and amen! I've been grieved for years at the amount of trash talk between moms, and christian moms at that. It has caused me to watch my own tongue more and more every day. I realized one day a while back, as I was taking part in such a conversation, that 'I bet these ladies talk like this about me when I'm not here'- that was a wake up call. Fine, talk about me all you want, but I'm not gonna be the one to talk about you, not like that, not anymore. (and I don't actually mean YOU!!)
Take care!
Enjoy them,
ali
(dawilli from HSB)
I was one of those who bottle fed and let them cry it out in the crib. Being told by my mother that was the *right way* to do it.
If I had the chance to do it all over again, I would have done attachment parenting. I try not to feel guilty over my past choices..
Anonymous ~ No guilt! Guilt won't change anything :::hug:::
This sort of thing burns me up and is SO common in women's circles. I wish we'd give each other the freedom to follow the leading of the Holy Spirit and simply love and support each other. I see this in homeschool circles, online circles, chapel circles....enough. I'm with you.
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