Parenting Choices

I have just finished reading, "Beyond the Sling," by Mayim Bialik, PhD (remember "Blossom"?).  I had not read any books about attachment parenting before.  I just knew that we were practicing this method when I heard other people talk about the principles behind it.  But, I really enjoyed Ms. Bialik's book.  I could relate so well to so many of her experiences, partly because she also has two boys.

What I most related to was the things other people say to us!  I am a stay-at-home mom who transitioned from a full-time job to working a flexible schedule between home and office, to working 3 days/week to not working at all six weeks before I had my second child.  I never knew that I wanted to stay at home.  I wanted to try to continue working; but, I felt the "tug" right away.  Needless to say, that was not our long-term plan.

And, we are not wealthy.  When we made the choice for me to stay at home, we made other choices, too (like cutting our budget and living on a lot less!).  But, no one knows these things and it is weird to ask; so, people have often told me, "it's so nice that you can do that".  That still feels funny when people say it.  I still have no response.  But, this excerpt says more than I can:

"...I hate to burst your bubble, but we don't parent this way because we can afford to; we parent this way because, like the thousands...of families who share an attachment-theory-centered holistic philosophy, we believe in it.  That means that we make choices about who works when and where based on our parenting decisions, not on our income.  Families who believe in home birth, extended breastfeeding and even homeschooling are, by and large, not wealthy.  They are making the decision to parent this way out of conviction and not out of financial comfort!"

"...be honest about your choices, and just as you don't want to be judged by those of us who choose to go without, don't assume we are self-righteous martyrs.  Everyone does this life differently, and I try to allow everyone the dignity to make their choices without my tsk-tsking them.  Usually, I succeed!" --Mayim Bialik, "Beyond the Sling".