Differences in opinion.

A simple statement from my mother in law is prompting this post. "I couldn't survive being a parent now a days.". I have to be honest, what does this mean? Now to give some context to this statement, my husband and I were simply trying to get her to stop freaking about about the size of a piece of ice our little one was eating. I explained nicely that it is scientifically shown, that the bigger the piece of food or whatever the less likely the child will choke on it. That was when she uttered that statement. I am fine with people disagreeing with how I raise my kids. I breastfeed, cloth diaper, and sometimes even I still carry her in her sling. So, what makes how I am raising my baby so different from when it was done when my mother in law did it? Oh wait, I know... I don't have anxiety issues, and I don't freak out at every little thing. It's not about the change in times, it's about the difference in people and opinion.

I do things my way, because they work for my family. I wish everyone cloth diapered their babies and breastfed. Honestly though to try and impose my opinions on every woman I see with a baby would be pointless. Actually come to think of it, it would be a nice way to piss people off.

If you don't agree with how I parent my kids, tough shit. I do what I feel is right for my kids. I'm sorry if you don't feel you would survive being a parent now a days, nothing really has changed. I just don't fuss over every little thing that she does. I don't baby her, unless she needs babying. How is she going to learn about this world if I don't let her experience it.

I know we all do the best we can with what we are given when it comes to our kids. What I don't get is hovering, and worrying about my child experiencing the world. We do not learn if we don't fall. We do not learn if we don't make mistakes. It is ultimately our experiences with other people, and our environment that make us who we are.

If we don't have those experiences, then we are only going to be less then what we could be. As a parent my job is to make sure my kids reach their full potential, even if that starts out with eating ice, that might be bigger then my hand.