Going to take this serious little face to address something serious. You know what feels so much better then shaming, judgement, being condescending (Mom shaming, Dad shaming, Grandparent shaming...) is observing, learning, empathizing, taking what we want from a lifestyle or parenting style and leaving the rest while respecting the persons choices to do what they feel is best for their life, family, child... And while doing so knowing this person (these people) are doing their best and with love“Why do you dress your kids the way you do? Why is he wearing pink why does she look like a little boy?” This comes up daily. They have voices, preferences and the capacity to communicate how they would like to dress them selves, colours don’t define gender, hair cuts don’t define gender and even then why not allow them to be creative and express them selves from a young age so they grow confidence and self esteem and define them selves. “Why are you still breast feeding?” “They sleep in your bed?” “Why are you taking them outside they are going to freeze!!” Screams a man from across the Forks at me (While they are fully dressed in snow gear). “Your spending the weekend with your Mom again...” “You spend too much time together” “must be nice to have a personal maid...” “He still wears diapers when he sleeps?” “Why aren’t you going back to work?” I am so grateful to be here in this space to be able to enjoy every moment I can with my family no guilt. Love isn’t unhealthy, strong bonds that have been nurtured and maintained since birth are not unhealthy. Cooking together, cleaning together, adventures together are not unhealthy. I am going to take every single moment I can with my parents with my inloves to make memories, to learn to create bonds that will never be regretted but cherished by my children. Families help one another it’s a give and take an ebb and flow of time, energy and love. People live in different ways that’s the beauty of diversity, if you don’t understand something or agree with something doesn’t mean it’s wrong, it’s just different. Embrace differences and learn from them, I try my best to do so and am always pleasantly surprised by the outcome.
