Yes, I am indeed “mom enough.” I am mom enough to be pissed off at the mockery Kate Pickert made of Attachment Parenting and Motherhood in this month’s edition of Time Magazine.
This cover photo is of a real mom breastfeeding her 3 year old child. More details can be found at TIME LightBox: Behind the Cover: Are You Mom Enough? In all honesty, I think this is a beautiful photograph. It’s edgy, artistic and a conversation starter. It’s something everyone is bound to have an opinion about – good, bad or indifferent. The photo makes a statement, and could have stood for what strong, involved, caring mother’s we have in the United States. But I digress, as this article did not do this. Instead it tore apart Attachment Parenting and focused on Dr. Sears.
According to the article, there are 3 Basic Components of Attachment Parenting:
1.Breastfeeding. It doesn’t matter if you are for it, against it, or don’t really care, breastfeeding is still encouraged as the primary milk for babies for the first 6 months by The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). They also strongly suggest “continuing to breast feed until at least 12 months as solid foods are added to your baby’s diet.” I think the debate, after you decide if you are for it or against breastfeeding, turns then towards how long is it good for the child and when does it become more for the mom then the child’s well-being.
2. Co-sleeping. I bet if we are all honest, every mother at some point has co-slept with their child. Whether it be sharing a family bed, cuddling as your child falls asleep, a quick nap together on the couch in the middle of the day, or that 3:00am feeding in which you fell asleep nursing your infant – all of these equate to some form of co-sleeping.
3. Baby Wearing. This is pretty much one of the best hands free devices a mother can have! So yes, Time, most parents in the United States and in most countries find ways to accomplish this task. Whether it be with a sling, a wrap, a BabyBjorn, or my personal favorite the Boba (I was able to easily nurse using the Boba anywhere, discretely with this carrier), baby wearing provides wonderful benefits to both mom and baby.
I am sorry, but aren’t these the same principals found in most forms of parenting? Why attack what works for some parents? Let’s be honest, Attachment Parenting is in no way the worst thing that could ever happen to a child. There are children and families that thrive with this parenting style. There are also parents out there that practice these same principles, simply because the mother is following her natural instinct.
My favorite quote from the article is, “there has been a sea of change in American child rearing over the past 20 years.” Is this brilliant writing? No, it is common sense. Of course things are going to, and should change. The world we are living in is constantly evolving and as parents we must too. We have to fight for our children and parent the very best we can.
Finally, most mothers are “Mom Enough.” They are choosing and sacrificing every day to do what is right and works for their children and families. There is no wrong or right way to parent, just as there is no wrong or right way to lead. What you do is based off experience and overall what feels right.
How dare you insult mothers and caregivers this way?
