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Friday, May 25, 2012

A you mom enough?

Recently there was an article posted in Time Magazine called 'Are You Mom Enough'. Ok first off, the title would piss any mother off regardless of what it has to say. I wanted to read it and see exactly what I am not 'mom enough' for. I was already kind ticked off before even starting! It's an article about attachment parenting. Meaning, usually, you cater more to the child, let them give you cues/clues as to what is wrong with them. You usually co-sleep with your child, breastfeed as long as possible, and rear-face as long as possible, you usually have a home birth or a natural hospital birth. Now, these don't always go with attachment parenting but usually attachment parents do these things. Anyways, there are a lot of moms who go this route. However, I am not one of them. I forward face my child at 1yr and 20lbs, I breastfeed till a year-if they make it that long, I do NOT share a bed with my child nor will I ever except when they are scared or want to snuggle. Otherwise they sleep in their own bed. I don't cater to their every need. I believe that crying will not hurt a child and that sometimes they just need to cry. I had both kids in a hospital with drugs and they were both c-sections. In fact I actually prayed for a c-section because I was terrified of birth! But that's how I feel its best for our family. How dare you say I'm not mom enough because I don't do attachment parenting. That's not fair. I struggle daily with my life as it is. Trying to be the best mom, make the best decisions, and hopefully raise some amazing children. I fall short many times but not for a lack of trying. But it doesn't mean I'm not mom enough, it just means I'm human. I'm not perfect, and I will fail and struggle through out my entire life. Sometimes I will be the coolest mom and sometimes I will be the embarrassing mom. Sometimes my children will say I love you and god willing they wont, but sometimes they may say I hate you. But it's not because I didn't do attachment parenting and it's not because I do attachment parenting. It's because I'm human and make mistakes. It's because my kids are human and make mistakes. So to say that I am not mom enough because I don't do attachment parenting isn't fair! What gives you the right to decide that? What makes you an expert on this? Have you done all ways and decided that only women who are mom enough can do attachment parenting?? What if the kid just isn't the type to respond well to attachment parenting? I mean, we try so many methods just to find what works for us and for our family. And when we find that method, we stick with it, till the next child who will do a different method! I think that while we fall short constantly, the fact that we are choosing to raise our child and give it a try means we are mom enough. Because with that choice, comes tears, sleep deprivation, exhaustion, and whatever else comes with being a parent. I don't need someone telling me that I'm not mom enough. I have my own mom issues. But I can promise you that I am 'mom enough' to mother my children without attachment parentnig. Really, it's not for me, it's not for my kids. To each their own!

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