Tomorrow, #2 (must come up with a better name) turns 7 months old and I'm starting to keep my head above water. I don't know what the future holds as far as this blog is concerned, but I know that I'm going to try to get back to blogging for the sake of memories. I have to write up #2's birth story, post about how awesome it is to be breastfeeding, our adventures with baby-led solids, my battle with postpartum depression, and so much more.
Our household has evolved from a home with a baby to a home with a toddler and a baby. We've made some changes that I look forward to sharing with you. Lots of things are the same; I'm still in school and still love cloth diapers, real foods, and other "crunchy" stuff. I hope to include more political stuff, too. (Sorry I missed the chance to give my $0.02 about this whole election season.)
Tuesday, October 30, 2012
I'm a Mean Mom, and That's Okay.
I found this post hanging out in my drafts folder:
In my son's almost 7 months on this planet, Hubby and I have made lots of decisions about parenting. We've learned that just because it's "normal" doesn't mean that it's in the child's best interest. A great example of this is disposible diapers. They are the cultural norm, but cloth diapers are better for baby's health. Thus, we've chosen to use cloth diapers. This isn't a condemnation of parents that use disposibles, just a choice that we've made.
In my son's almost 7 months on this planet, Hubby and I have made lots of decisions about parenting. We've learned that just because it's "normal" doesn't mean that it's in the child's best interest. A great example of this is disposible diapers. They are the cultural norm, but cloth diapers are better for baby's health. Thus, we've chosen to use cloth diapers. This isn't a condemnation of parents that use disposibles, just a choice that we've made.
Some of our choices have been met with hostility. I've been dubbed a "mean mom" by some family members, behind my back. That's cool. I just wish they had the guts to say it to my face. Oh well. I'm sure that as we have more kids and we make more decisions, I'll be seen as even meaner. It's a small price to pay, if it means that my kids have a concience and are free-thinking, healthy people. At the end of the day, my Husband and I are the ones responsible for how our children are raised. Others can provide input, if they think they know a better way. I'm cool with that. Really. But in the end, Hubby and I have to stand before God and give an accounting of how we did as parents, stewards of the precious souls He blessed us with.
Here's a list of things that make me a mean mom:
- Our kid(s) get toys from consignment stores and yard sales. They're in fabulous condition. I think Babyzilla owns 3 brand new toys.
- Our kid(s) get clothes from consignment stores and yard sales. Most of them are basic and are intended to be passed on to future siblings, cousins or friends, or to be re-sold.
- I won't buy a birthday cake for my kids. All birthday cakes will be made from scratch with real ingredients. Icing? What's that? It's not something that our kids will eat at a year old. Recipe here.
- I won't take our kids to the circus. I have moral issues with circuses. If they really want to go when they're older, I'll explain to them about animal abuse and let them make the choice.
- Barbie has no place in our home. Barbie is known for being "fashionable." That's it. She doesn't do anything constructive. She just stands there in her high heels and revealing outfits and "looks pretty." I expect more than that from my daughters (and sons, for that matter). Also, we're not buying into the whole Disney Princess thing. In addition to the poor body images they portray, almost every "princess" is haralded for marrying well and being pretty. That's it. I won't be able to keep them from these things entirely, but we're going to give it our best.
- Xbox, Wii, PlayStation, etc. have no place in our home. TV is also very limited. This goes for adults too.
- Toy guns, swords, etc. (you guessed it) have no place in our home. If my kids are going to play cops and robbers or pirates, it's going to be with sticks or paper towel tubes.
- Dora, Lightning McQueen, Spongebob, whatever the "hip" thing is at the time is not going to run my kids' brains. Sorry ad agentcy. We're not raising mindless consumers.
- Not every kid is going to get their own room. Even if we could afford a 6 bedroom/ 6 bathroom house, we woudn't get it. Kids do not need their own bedroom or bathroom. The exact split up will be evaluated as more kids are born.
- Santa, the Easter Bunny, the Tooth Fairy, etc. don't come to our house. Christmas and Easter are about Christ. This will be elaborated in a future post, I'm sure.
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