Parenting Wars

So, I have been thinking a lot lately about parenting and what "style" of parent that I am. I think it can be nicely summed up into "very laid back but intolerant of disrespect". Does that sound about right? I don't really care if my kids put stickers on the car windows. I don't mind if they get paint on their clothes or play in the mud. They can even put posters on the walls of their bedrooms if they are so inclined. I don't care if they wear superhero capes to the store or drink a soda every now and then. Now some parents would totally freak out about stickers on the windows (yep, I'm talking about you, Mom), but that and the other things I mentioned are such small things that just don't seem as important to me as being polite, kind, respectful, and generous. Of course my kids do not always exhibit these traits, but they are learning. I guess it is all a matter of picking your battles.

Now, with that being said, I don't have anything against parents who are stricter than I am. In fact I admire them in a lot of ways, and I firmly believe that the vast majority of parents are well intended and doing the best they can - which brings me to the whole point of this post. Why are there so many parenting debates? You go on some of those parenting websites and the battles rage on like there is no tomorrow! Breastfeeding vs. Formula. Working Moms vs. Stay at Home Moms. Cloth Diapers vs. Disposables. Spankings vs. Time Outs. Homeschooling vs. Traditional Education. Preschool vs. No Preschool. Potty Training Techniques. Pacifiers vs. No Pacifiers. The list is endless.

I understand that people have opinions. I have opinions about all of these things too, but I don't really need to know if Susie in Wichita or Mable in Buffalo agrees with me. I am (usually) confident in my decisions, and as long as Robert and I are in agreement, then other people don't really matter. I can see the both sides of all of these debates, but ultimately it is up to me and Robert to choose what is best for us and our family. And it is up to Susie and Mable to choose what is best for their families. And I see no reason why we, as parents, can't be more supportive of each other. Raising children is a hard business, and we all need all of the support we can get - not judgments from other people because they disagree with us. It's not very likely that you are going to change my mind anyway.