Struggles

There are days that I feel like I am crushing this whole mom thing, other days I feel like I am being crushed by it. Parenting is not for the faint of heart people. Trying to raise kids to be the best they can be can be brutal. This is a statement that I think most people would agree with, yet there is still far to many people that are belittling others choices.

It seems like everyone you meet has advice on what you should and should not be doing when it comes to raising kids. It will never matter how you are doing it, someone will always think you are doing it wrong. I have been told some pretty hurtful things over the years when it comes to raising kids. I am going to high light the two I seem to hear the most.

1. Home schooling will make your kids socially weird.

- I have heard this countless times, along with many other variations of it. It is simply not true. My kids were doomed to be weird from the start, I am their mother.

All joking aside, being home schooled does not mean my kids never see the light of day. It is not like they never see, or play other kids. My kids have loads of friends, not just limited to those in their age group. One of the great things about home schooling is that my kids get the chance to socialize with people of all age groups. Being able to relate to people of all ages will come in very handy in their adult lives.

2. You lead a different ( strange, weird ) lifestyle.

- First off, this is so rude! Why would you say something like this to someone? Second off, my lifestyle choices are exactly that, my choices. Yes, we may be a little different from the main stream, but so what?

We like GMO free, organic foods, it is our choice. I do not try to force it on anyone else.
We believe in natural living/medicine, again I do not try to force it on anyone else.
We lean mostly towards attachment parenting, but we do not try to force it on anyone else.
We home school, but do not try to force it on anyone else.
We are teaching our kids old school survival skills, including forage....yet again....we do not try to force it on anyone else.

It has been said a million times before and I am going to keep saying it. Stop putting your judgements on parents for things you may not personally agree with. As long as their children are cared for and loved, that is what really matters.

Everyone struggles, we need to help lift each other up. If someone comes to your with a struggle, give them helpful non judgemental advice, if you have it. If not, a listening ear is sometimes the only thing people need from you.

We need to start being kind. Your words matter.