Parenting thought
I was rereading some old posts on Mothering that were to the effect of, "Oh no, I just found out I have a medical problem that will prevent me from breastfeeding! How on Earth will I be able to feel superior to formula-feeding mothers when I will be doing exactly the same thing they are doing?!"
As much as I could snark on that, I also feel sympathy, because we're all put under so much pressure to be "superior" all the time.
It's funny; internally I don't identify as an "attachment parent" because I don't agree with putting so much pressure on mothers to be "superior" and because I don't think following those particular rules makes people better parents.
Externally, though, I did in fact have natural childbirth, breastfeed into toddlerhood, avoid using daycare as much as I could, etc., and those things seem normal to me, and actually easier than having to deal with the alternatives.
Of course, I don't know that I ever drank ALL the Kool-Aid. I mean, I didn't even consider unassisted birth, homeschooling, leaving my kids unvaccinated, nursing past toddlerhood, or permissive-style discipline.
I wonder: Am I an attachment parent? If so, then why does it make me feel uncomfortable to be labeled that way? If not, then when did that change?
As much as I could snark on that, I also feel sympathy, because we're all put under so much pressure to be "superior" all the time.
It's funny; internally I don't identify as an "attachment parent" because I don't agree with putting so much pressure on mothers to be "superior" and because I don't think following those particular rules makes people better parents.
Externally, though, I did in fact have natural childbirth, breastfeed into toddlerhood, avoid using daycare as much as I could, etc., and those things seem normal to me, and actually easier than having to deal with the alternatives.
Of course, I don't know that I ever drank ALL the Kool-Aid. I mean, I didn't even consider unassisted birth, homeschooling, leaving my kids unvaccinated, nursing past toddlerhood, or permissive-style discipline.
I wonder: Am I an attachment parent? If so, then why does it make me feel uncomfortable to be labeled that way? If not, then when did that change?