Enough already!

Ya know, I don’t frequent the OD Boards too often. I used to visit a lot more when I was pregnant, but I’ve found other places that have suited me better since Noah was born. But over the past few days, I’ve been reading over some threads, and I remembered exactly why I stopped visiting the OD boards.

I am so sick of the bickering that goes on there! Kaci, you and Kayla most definitely have your work cut out for you, and I applaud the two of you for all you do to try and keep things calm and welcoming.

But it’s all just so ridiculous. Mothers bitching back and forth. Over things that don’t need to be bitched about.

So I’m just going to get this off of my chest. If you don’t like it, fine. I don’t really care. And if you do like it, that’s wonderful! But I’m not just writing this for everyone to read and ponder on….I’m writing it to get out my own thoughts and feelings on it.

I will say this first, though. Regardless of whether or not you like what I have to say, you WILL respect me here. This is MY diary and anyone who attacks what I have to say will be blocked. I don’t care if you agree with me or not, that doesn’t prevent you from respecting me, my opinions and thoughts, and/or my practices. At the end of the day, whether you parent the same way I do or you parent in a completely opposite fashion, we’re all just doing the best we know how for our kids.

First of all, since this one was the topic of a BIG dramafest. Circumcision. The dreaded C word. Yup,  my son is circumcised. I don’t regret it. Neither does my husband. We were not uninformed about the procedure when we chose it for our son. That is a pet peeve of mine…..too many parents that choose to leave their sons intact automatically assume that those of us that circumcise are uninformed. I won’t deny that some don’t do their research, but give credit where credit is due. I did my homework, just like you did. The decision I made after processing that information may be different than the decision you made, but it doesn’t make me less of a mother, nor does it make me better….and vice versa. It is what it is. My son is healthy and thriving and I highly doubt that he’s going to be mad at me for having him circumcised.

I am sick of the anti-circ segment that continually try to equate circumcision with child abuse. My son is NOT abused in any way, shape, or form, and anyone that dares to try and imply otherwise will get a piece of my mind. Oh, wait, that’s what this is for.

Moving on. Breastfeeding vs. formula feeding. You know what? I would LOVE it if every mother was willing and able to breastfeed, but that just isn’t the way the world works. I wish every mother would at least TRY to breastfeed, but that is also not the way the world works. But guess what? Some of my dearest friends formula feed….some by choice, some not. That doesn’t make them, or any other formula feeding mother, inferior to me and other breastfeeding mothers. At least their children are FED. If you’re feeding your child, and they’re healthy and thriving, that’s the important part.

Cloth diapering vs. disposables. Guess what? Cloth diapering isn’t for everyone. For some, they can’t afford the initial investment. Others, it just plain doesn’t appeal to them. I don’t care what you put on your child’s bottom, as long as you change them regularly.  Me, I can barely keep up with the regular laundry, so trying to wash cloth diapers every day or so? Not gonna happen. Not to mention, I can barely get my husband to change a sposie, he’d be lost if he tried to change a CD. Sposies work for us. That doesn’t make us bad parents.

Hmm…co sleeping or not. Guess what? I don’t care what you do, as long as you and your child both get adequate amounts of sleep! I do modified co sleeping….Noah sleeps in his own bed, but he’s only three feet away from me in our room. I move around a lot in my sleep. The few times that I have co slept with Noah (when visiting my mom and such), I was terrified I was going to hit him or push him into the wall or off of the bed…which meant that I got very little sleep. This is what works for us. We all get the sleep we need and we’re all happier for it.

What else can I touch on? I’ll tackle anything. I’m in one of those moods. I’m out of topics for now, though, so I’ll just say this:

Some of the mommies over on the boards wonder how the other mommies can feel attacked. Those of you that are the attackers, you may not be coming out and pointing fingers at specific members, but your choice of wording is poor. We as mothers ALL second guess decisions we make, and wonder if we’ve done/are doing the right things. So when someone comes along and says that they think such-and-such is horrible/immoral/unethical/the equivalent of child abuse, and there’s a mommy that has done such-and-such, guess what? Whether it was your intention or not, you just made her feel like shit….and you made her feel attacked. We’re all hard wired to want to defend our choices, and when you come in and try to tell someone that they’re wrong simply because they’ve made a choice that you wouldn’t make/don’t agree with, feathers are going to get ruffled. THINK BEFORE YOU TYPE. And then think once more before you hit that submit button. Say what you want in your own diary….but in a community setting such as the boards, try and have a little respect for others and think about the fact that there WILL be people different from you. Feel free to voice your opinion, but do it in a way that inspires intelligent conversation, not cat fights. Read over your words and think about how you’d feel if you were the person of the opposing viewpoint and you read a post that said what you’ve just typed. If it’d make you mad, chances are it’s going to actually tick off someone else, and therefore, you need to rethink your words.

That’s all for tonight.

*temporarily steps down from soapbox*