We all make decisions...

The media often pits stay at home moms against working outside the home moms - printing articles that point to the possibilities that going to daycare makes children less liked, kids who stay home with mom are behind when they start kindergarten and so on. They play on almost every moms' insecurities. All working moms work because they have to. Sure, not every working mom works because of financial reasons, but some work because it's the only way they can keep a career or simply because they are so career driven that they need to work. Most parents find the best daytime child care they can afford that fits their parenting style and educational needs. Many moms who stay at home have made other sacrifices. Instead of time with their children, they are missing out on advancing a career, have to balance a tighter budget and make choices about what they feel is really important for their children.

Whether you work or stay home as a parent, you're always looking over the fence. Should I quit? Should I work? What are the tradeoffs and benefits to both. It's a hard choice and one each family makes. One each family should be able to make without being looked down upon. As a country, we don't seem to value families the way we claim to. Short maternity leave benefits and nearly zero paternity leave benefits leave many families with tough choices. Let's support families no matter their choice.

Speaking of supporting families. It's often amazing how often we don't support each other. Instead of supporting a families decision to go media free, some people will tell you that your child is missing out and will be an oddball and behind academically when they go to school. If you let your child watch tv then you are destroying your child's imagination (or whatever the damage of the month is from watching tv, according to the media - of all places!). If you tell someone you cosleep, you get all sorts of horror stories about cosleeping. If you tell someone you're baby sleeps in her own room, you hear about how the baby won't bond that way. Similar to working or staying home, each family makes a choice and each family should be supported in their choices - whether it's cosleeping, eating organic and cloth diapering, sending kids to preschool, sitting together for family movie night, playing video games or eating fried food and ice cream every Sunday because of family tradition, each family makes choices as to what is right for them. Yes, these choices will help form who the child is, but that's what families do. The important part is that the child is raised with love. If it's important for a family for a child to learn to ski at 3 because it's a family tradition to ski for 2 weeks every winter - that's what they should do. They shouldn't be harassed because they are choosing a sport for their child or because the child might break a leg at such a young age. They should be supported because they are making a choice to include their child in their family traditions.

Now, you might be wondering why the tirade? I've had a number of both acquaintances and strangers give me their opinions as to why I'm a bad mom and I'm getting sick of it. In the last two weeks I've been told that my 3 year old is far to brash and needs to be broken (by a stranger), I've been told I should not be letting my 22 month old use the potty - I'm "forcing" potty training too young. I should not be letting my kids eat fresh strawberries for snack because they are loaded with sugar and I should not even consider letting Nora play ice hockey next year (learn to skate program). There are more, but I don't want to get too angry again...