I thought a lot about the kind of mother that I wanted to be. Before even going off the pill, I had ideas about the kind of education I wanted for my rugrat, the kinds of games I wanted him or her to play, and all the books and films I wanted to show him or her. I knew I wanted to be loving and warm and supportive. I was filled with all kinds of wonderful theories about raising a child, even as I realized that I was totally clueless. Being a mom isn’t quite what I expected… at least not at this age.
Okay, some things I’ve been able to follow through on… for the most part. In general, unless I’m on the brink of a breakdown, I don’t let my kid “just cry it out”. I don’t believe it’s healthy; it just teaches the child not to ask for help because they won’t be heard anyway. In fact, new research backs up my thoughts – the more cuddles the better, not just for infants but as they grow up, too. Of course, I sometimes beg Harley to stop crying for a few minutes, just so I can eat my meal or drink my coffee while it’s still hot. But it’s about being the kind of mother I want to be.
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