Note: I wrote this in January.
Today’s topic brought to you by the reason I went on a nearly year-long hiatus from writing on this blog. That’s right friends, your favorite long haired blogger became a parent last year. When I became pregnant I became extremely depressed and then I had the baby, which didn’t quite help things. In any case, I’m not going to get into that and am just going to discuss parenting as whole.
I recently read this: “The Diabolical Genius of the Baby Advice Industry”
It really called to my attention crazy how crazy conversation on parenting can get, at least in the Western world (we’re western-influenced*). Everyone has an opinion on every aspect of how you should parent, why you should do the how and how to do the how. Everyone and their mothers have an opinion, including mothers who haven’t mothered younglings in over 30 years.
I’ve been witnessing this bizarre phenomenon when it comes to parents, that basically no one listens to things you have to say when you are one. When other people (usually people who stopped having babies years ago) ask questions, they’re just trying to give their opinions on what they think you should do. And when you give them a reason for the things that you do, they don’t even respond and continue telling you why they’re concerned about the thing they’re concerned about.
I personally don’t subscribe to just one style of parenting. I believe that science has a place and that instinct has a place. I believe that fed is best because nature and science are one in the same. Without formula and c-sections and vaccines, babies wouldn’t survive babyhood as often as they do today. Mothers used to not name their babies until after a year because infant mortality was so high. I also believe that you can’t force babies into doing things (like put themselves to sleep) until they’re ready to do it and that if they cry your job is to figure out what’s to be done about it. But it’s crazy how aggressive any side of the conversation can get when it comes to parenting. It’s crazy that there are people out there who will say if you’re not doing things exactly the way that they are saying right now, then you’re 100% doing something wrong.
I don’t understand why every conversation on everything has to be so polarizing these days, especially when it comes to bringing up tiny humans who have to learn how to live from you.
Any way, go on with your bad selves parental units. You don’t have to sleep train your kids. You don’t have to breastfeed. All you need to do is love and keep your kid safe and healthy**.
But also now that I am finally ready to, I will now occasionally take some time to share my experiences and by default some thoughts in raising a child, from my own womb.
* Colonization, amirite?
**This means vaccinate your kids, people. Don’t be reckless.
Ruzelle Almonds 