Recently I had something happen where one person presented some fairly strong opinions about me and sort of how I parent. Well, I took it kind of personally and for days have been thinking about it. To say it didn't bug me would be a total lie.
So anyways, WE US YOU ME...we go through life and we judge people on so many different things. As a woman and mom, I find it particulary interesting how harsh woman are towards each other. Everything from how much time to how little time you spend with your kids. From breastfeeding to formula feeding to epidurals and drug-free births. Then you have your stay at home moms and your "career" moms and the people that don't want kids. The juxtapositions are so wide and varied.....
BUT WHAT IT ALL COMES DOWN TO IS...why the hell are we all so hard on each other? The reality is...we have our ups and downs...so why do we have to make things even harder by putting others down just because "I do it differently then them." Why do we have to put pressure on others to be "like the rest of us" when in fact....WE ALL DO IT DIFFERENTLY.....
I guess what I am getting at, is that going forward, I myself am I going to work hard to not judge others. I will be the first to admit that I have judged and had judgement cast on me....but the reality is that YOU never know the whole story. So a new goal for 2009 is to accept people for who they are.....
I remember before I had kids, I would be at Target and hear a kid screaming in the toy aisle and think...wow, those parents really should calm their kid down. Or I would see kids with boogers smeared across their face and think, the parents should really take better care of their kids. My kids have cried in Target and I can't tell you how difficult it is to get those boogers wiped up......
SOMETIMES IT IS JUST NOT WORTH THE FIGHT.
So anyways, all you women and moms I know.....I think you are doing a fantastic job.
3 comments:
Great post... coincidentally this came up on New Cut perhaps you'd find interesting...
http://minnesota.publicradio.org/collections/special/columns/news_cut/archive/2009/03/the_mommy_track.shtml
Okay - maybe we are alike?
I think you do a more than fantastic job. Anyone who said differently about how you parent does not know you or the kids or Josh very well.
hmmmmm.
I agree, it is hard not to judge others - I will do my part in helping you by not starting "judging gossip" sessions!
p.s. I worry all the time about what people think about how I parent - I am glad no one has said anything to my face!
Great, thoughtful post. I really think that people judge too much in general, and for sure about parenting. By the way, I think you are a great Mom, and I admire your parenting style quite a bit:-)
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