When I have the “bad mom” thought I ask myself, “Well am I being a *bad parent*?” Suddenly the entire scope of the question changes and I can breathe easier and can have more clarity, good humor, and a longer view on the whole issue. BOY does that say something about expectations placed on moms vs. dads/other carers.

Thanks for another fabulous post.

There is a corollary to this post that I think should also be said. Babywearing, breastfeeding, EC, etc. don’t necessarily make you a good mom. There is a world of hurt you can bring on your child even if you practice those parenting techniques, they don’t inure anyone from the negative aspects of parenting.

I just feel like this needs to be said (and repeated over and over) as I see my friends lulled into a false sense of safety and superiority because they subscribe to a certain set of parenting practices. We need to constantly challenge ourselves to look past our more superficial lifestyle choices to how our personalities, histories, family structures, and communities impact our children in a way that is beyond our control.