Better Parenting

It's been a week or so since I said good-bye to the daily perusing of Facebook. After messaging my most commonly interacted with friends, removing the app from my phone, and archiving my photos I signed off keeping it up only for the occasional update or non-time sensitive message. Without the 'book I've been interacting much more a home as I had hoped. I play more with Aurora, pay attention when Matt and I watch a movie, and work on my knitting skills (or lack there of). In the mornings though, before Aurora and Matt are awake, and on nights like these when they are both asleep I take some time to get online. With no Facebook to read I turn to, dare I say it, actual news. I've learned a slew of interesting things like the EPA says the average American home throws away 4 lbs of waste a day, but a university did a study and it is actually 7 lbs. Both these numbers are shocking to me and I plan to track and weigh our waste next week to see where we stand. Look for another post on how that works out in the future. I also learned Kansas is a top wind energy producer, go us, and that Steven Colbert's mother is ill, sadness :( But, the article that cause particular inspiration for this post was on parenting. Josette Crosby, a Huffington Post blogger posted this article:  http://www.huffingtonpost.com/josette-crosby-plank/french-parents-better_b_1281984.html titled Why ALL Parents are Better Than You.

The article really made me laugh. Lately, I've been totally over the parenting related researching. The over analyzing of tiny details, the debate that usually ensues, the energy that goes into it just to come up the answer that I would have all along if I just listened to my instincts on the thing. I'm just going to label my parenting style as 'instinctual parenting' and just be done with it. For some reason, and I am sure many of my mommy friends agree, I define myself in large part by my parenting. I love the choices I made for my family, but that doesn't mean they have to be the choices for you family. Just like how I get so upset when people assume I am stay-at-home, assume that since I work in an office I am a secretary. or that I don't know how to make a cabinet because I am a girl. This doesn't mean I am a homemaker-hater or scowl at administrative staff! If you are either and are happy way to go you! It just isn't accurate to who I am at this very moment and I want people to understand who I am for some reason. Because my identity is important to me. That doesn't mean you have to be my clone to be cool in my eyes. Far from it! Be who you are and share who you are with me. I am sure I will be excited to learn about it. 

So, when reading the article's list I couldn't help but pick out the lines the described me. Usually, I'm not all about the labels, but tonight, let's go on a label fest. Label yourself - if you will - what kind of parents match you on this list? When you look at your list don't you totally think, 'ya, my list is the shit, I am awesome'? I hope so, because you are awesome and sometimes you need a little bit of inner cockiness wrapped up inside all that humble-ness. It's only good for our self-esteem right? 

My parenting list: 

1. Laid Back Parents
2. Suburban Parents who have Backyards, Good Schools, and Soccer Coaches From Brazil
3. Country Parents whose kids Learn Responsibility by Running Large Farm Equipment and Who Know Exactly What To Call The Chicken Hole That Eggs Come From - I am leaving this since we are soon-to-be country bound! 
4. Parents who vaccinate
5. Parents who don't vaccinate - oOOo I get to be both since we selectively vaccinate
6. Parents who allow their kids as much contact with germs as possible in order to build up their immune system and keep their kids healthy
7. Breastfeeding Parents
8. Parents who don't know whether or not God can help them be better parents
9. Liberal Parents - hey, there was no 'moderate parents' label. I guess the blogger assumes it is safe to say all parents are better than moderates lol! 
10. Free Range Parents - oh how I try, my worrier parent comes out though. 
11. Natural Parents
12. Unplugged Parents
13. Parents who don't allow cell phones at the age you gave your kid a cell phone - [psht...I am totally waiting until after your kid gets a phone so I can be *this* parent. Mwhahah]
14. Authoritative Parents
15. Positive Parents
16. Dr. Sears
17. "I Hate Ezzo" Parents
18. Younger Parents
19. Parents of only children
20. Parents who pick up crying kids
21. Parents who co-sleep
22. Parents who don't spank
23. Parents who care enough about their kids to send them to homeschool
24. Parents who birthed their kids vaginally
25. Straight Parents
26. Married Parents
27. Parents with a high school diploma
28. Parents with a college degree
29. Parents who read parenting books
30. Crafty Moms
31. Parents who blog about their kids
32. Parents who update all their kids' baby books
33. Uber Moms
34. Type A Moms
35. Parents who get down on the floor and play with their kids
36. Parents who get down on the floor and teach their kids
37. Parents who teach their kids to put in flooring 
38. Parents who work outside the home
39. Parents who are at home outside
40. Parents who let their kids drink from the garden hose outside

Ones that should be added: 

1. Parents that don't allow HFCS and artificial food coloring

2. Minimalist Parents 

3. Anti-Commercialism Parents 

4. Anti-Circumcision Parents 

5. Extended Rear Facing Parents 

6. Parents who let their kids come out in public and *gasp* act like kids.

My favorites on the list that I wasn't: 

Parents with no fancy book learning

-and-

Parents who birthed their kids vaginally with no help in a rain forest on the summer solstice - please someone I know, be this awesome parent so I may live vicariously through you on this one. 

Dearest Friends! Who are you? What do you identify most with in life? What are you proud of? Share it with me so when I see you next I can be like, 'oh hey, heard you were bad ass at that one thing, tell me about it' Trust me, it will be great.