I'm Your Biggest Supporter

Before I had kids I was one of those women who rolled my eyes at crying babies in church, shuttered at tantrums in the grocery store, and felt like pacifiers were basically a gateway drug.  I shared my "I will never (fill in blank)" and "My child will never (fill in the blank)" stories to all who would listen.

And then I had two babies.

There are many statements I made pre-babies that I still stand by.  Most of them, actually.  The difference is I now realize what I feel is best for Jude & Sloane is exactly that... what I feel is best.  There are one million different ways to raise a child and my job is to raise my two the best I know how... and to keep my nose out of everyone else's business.

The day I became a mom I became a supporter of other moms.  I didn't look at them as competition, I looked at them--at us--as an alliance.  We are a group of women with different backgrounds, different beliefs, and different values, with one very important thing in common: we love our kids.  To me, as long as you love your kid, I'm your biggest supporter.

I bring this up because a friend of mine was deeply hurt by other moms today.  She posted a picture on Instagram and mentioned she and her husband tried the cry it out method with their daughter last night.  She received multiple comments and while many were words of affirmation, there were a few that were downright hateful.  Some questioned her parenting while others told her to "do her research." One even said she hoped my friend's children let her cry it out in a nursing home one day.  What?!

I was absolutely appalled.  I'm not upset that these people disagree with the CIO method, but why did they find it necessary to say such awful things to a fellow mom?

There are several things we do (or don't do) with Jude & Sloane that might make you raise your eyebrows.  They don't have bumpers in their cribs.  They are almost six months old and have never had rice cereal.  The television stays off when I'm home alone with them.  If a pacifier falls on the ground, we stand by the 5-second rule.  We let them cry it out.  They get all of their vaccinations.

All of these things could make one question our parenting but so far we've only received support.  I know our day will come when someone makes a rude remark or a person without kids opens their mouth like I once did.  I hope I handle it with grace.  But more than that, I hope it never happens.  This post is not new information--I have read multiple articles, blog posts, status updates, etc., that all center around the same idea:  Support each other.  Love one another.  And the next time you feel the need to say something negative, smile instead and tell that mom she's doing an amazing job.

Because she is.