Emerald27

youenjoymyself

I just wanted to tell you that I love the way you think! If I have a doubt about something due to societal pressures, you have a way of putting things back into perspective for me. So thank you for your words!

Emerald27

Lol, you guys are very sweet. Thanks for the encouragement.

I've had lots of experience with pressure to parent differently, and plenty of practice in responding to criticism. We lived with my mom (sort of an advocate for CIO and "forced independence") for DS' first year, and I started out very stressed and questioning my instincts because she kept telling me I was going about mothering all wrong. But I always did what I thought was best despite her constant pressure to sleep train, etc., and now I'm very determined and confident in my parenting decisions.

We still breastfeed on demand, bedshare, babywear, and are pretty much an entirely AP family.

I have had to learn how to be diplomatic and kind in my responses to criticism while not at all making excuses for or allowing anyone to think I'm not 100% behind my decisions. I make a point of saying that we do the things we do for DS because we believe that it is what is best for him.