I'm Okay, You're Okay

It’s amazing to me all the different parenting decisions.  There is stay-at-home and working, crib and family bed, formula and breast fed, cry or no cry, BabyWise and Attachment, baby wearing and not, demand feeding and scheduled feeding, spanking and not, public school and private school and homeschooling, vaccinating and not, disposable and cloth diapers, schedule and go-with-the-flow.  So many decisions that a parent has to make, all with just one goal in mind: doing what is best for your child.  I believe that since we are trying to do what is best for our child, we let our pride come in and say that our way is the only way.  But from just this small list, one can see that there are many different options for each family.

It’s interesting to me that we can say that each child is unique, but at the same time, believe that there is only one right way to parent.  It seems pretty clear that each decision that can be made, can be different for each child.  Why do we as parents find our way to be far superior than another’s way?  Why don’t we just see a differing view as what it is, someone choosing a different way than our own?  Research, schmesearch.  We are all doing it right, no matter when your kid sleeps through the night, how green you are, if you breastfeed once or for two years.  No one is setting out with the mindset of, “Let’s see if this way screws my kid up!”  Show a little love today for those parents are choosing a different path for their family and keep in mind that they love their kid as much as you love yours.