As a mother of three I have witnessed my share of name-calling, bickering and immaturity. As a newbie into the culture of the “stay at home mommy club” I was, to say the least surprised that most of the culprits have been other mothers. Raising children is hard, that pretty much goes without saying, however, my personal feeling is that we make it so much harder then it has to be. We judge each other on how we feed, interact, teach and discipline them. Should I breast feed or use a bottle? When is the best time to start solid foods? Should I vaccinate my children? Is your way better then mine? These are all questions that run tirelessly through a new mothers head. There is so much information out there via television, news reports and parenting magazines telling us how to raise healthy, happy kids that it can feel somewhat overwhelming.
So you ask your fellow mommy at the park what type of parenting plan there on. This is where it can get ugly with the name calling and snarky remarks. One mother will believe that spanking is a necessary part of the discipline process and another will call it child abuse. Mommy number two will tell you the only way to give your kids proper nutrition is to breast feed until they’re five. While someone in the background will whisper how gross that is. Is spanking okay? Can I give my kid a bottle of Enfamil and know that she will be as smart as the rest of her class? Those questions can only be answered by the mother if at all. However, judging other mothers because they parent differently then you is not showing your own children how to treat a friend.
Believing that there is only one way to raise a child to become a productive citizen is a mistake. Maybe your way is better for you and my way is better for me and my children.
Everyone wants the best but the best isn’t being shown when we argue in front of our kids over who is better. We go out of our way to show our children how to share and use their manners but then turn around and become flippant with a mom who doesn’t see things our way. Support from our fellow mom is, in my biased opinion, the only way to raise children. As a community, mothers need to unite and educate each other so that all our children, whether cloth diapered or not can be the best they can be.
Everyone wants the best but the best isn’t being shown when we argue in front of our kids over who is better. We go out of our way to show our children how to share and use their manners but then turn around and become flippant with a mom who doesn’t see things our way. Support from our fellow mom is, in my biased opinion, the only way to raise children. As a community, mothers need to unite and educate each other so that all our children, whether cloth diapered or not can be the best they can be.
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