After I had my LASIK consultation and made the appointment, I had a rather unexpected side effect. My kids freaked out (especially my youngest) and my feelings about it surprised me. This is rather personal and that’s always a bit scary, but I chose to share it in case any other Moms are feeling the same way. If you are, you aren’t alone. I don’t think my situation or my feelings are that unusual for a Mom.
This is going to be one of those ramble-y posts. One of those things that has been rattling around in my brain for a long time and I need to get it out. Moms (and people in general) love to judge other moms. In my experience, it seems to be compounded in the “natural parenting” community. There’s this idea that if you cloth diaper, you must fit this other mold of what “a cloth dapering mom” is. Moms are made to feel guilty if they don’t fit this picture perfect, “crunchy” mold.
I wasn’t sure I wanted to share this but thought it might help someone. So, I’m writing it, not re-reading it, and publishing it without second guessing myself. I should have known better. The child in this story, who took at least 10 years off my life on this fateful day, is the reason we have chain locks on all our exterior doors. A few years ago, I made the mistake of using the bathroom, heard the door open, and before I could even pull my pants up, he was in the front yard. Anyone who comes to our house must think we live in an unsafe area, but it’s to keep people in, not out.
If you click through my links & buy I receive a small commission. I purchased the book myself. Untangled: Guiding Teenage Girls Through the Seven Transitions into Adulthood by Lisa Damour, Ph.D. was recommended to me by several people, and after hunting for a used copy for a while, I finally bought one new. I cannot recommend Untangled enough and I think it should be required reading for any parent of a tween, or an adult family member who spends time with her.
People constantly say that mothers need to enjoy it because it goes too fast. They’ll be grown up before you know it. I suppose it’s true. My daughter is 11 now and it feels like she was born yesterday and a million years ago all at once.
Maria wants to live in a world where cloth diapers are the norm and moms can make parenting choices without judgement. When she’s not chasing her 18, 14 and 11-year old kids around, you might find her checking out the latest gadgets, organizing something (again) or exercising in the fresh air. Read More »
