Primal Peeves

I’ve taken note of my own thoughts and such as I go about life and I’ve come to the conclusion that I am somewhat judgemental. Yep. I am. Diplomatic when dealing with others; but judgemental all the same. I have a very difficult time, as someone who has always dedicated herself to the well-being of children, dealing with certain things that parents do. Now that I’ve moved into natural mothering over the many years, I’ve developed even more irritations. Here are a few:

The term “breastfeeding” annoys me. Do I breastfeed? Of course I do. But the term itself sets it apart as the alternative. People do feed with the poison called formula. Do they walk around saying “Bring a bottle so that I can bottle-feed the baby?” Does anyone say, “I have to go bottle-feed little Johnny right now.” No. They feed the baby and the rest of us breastfeed the baby. It’s so backwards! No.. I beg to differ. I feed my baby and they bottle-feed theirs. THEY are using the alternative food, not me. Therefore they should have the distinguished dishonor of the odd terminology.

The term “human pacifier”. Ok..so I’ve heard many a nursing mom say this. In my early days of nursing babies, so did I. “Oh she uses me as a human pacifier” and “I use a binky because I don’t want to be a human pacifier”. *Buzzer sounds* Wrong. Again it’s backwards. The human IS the pacifier. The rubber thing with a plastic handle is the alternative device. The breast is the pacifier; the other thing is an artificial pacifer. A rubber nipple.

"Teaching Independence" using methods such as letting them cry; sticking them in a crib to learn to sleep alone; making them walk based on the so-called logic expressed as “that’s what her feet are for”, etc. None of these things teach independence. In fact, they encourage dependence. We are given to them to meet all of their dependent needs while they are young. If we meet those needs, they learn they are loved and they learn to trust you’ll be there for them. When they have established in their minds and hearts they are loved and can trust, this makes the world a less scary place to venture into because they know they have a solid “home base” in their relationship with you. The child who crys and clings when he is two and has a mother who hugs, cuddles and comforts him is the child who is highly secure in himself and independent later. The child who permits mommy to leave without a tear is the child who has no real emotional attachment to his mother. These are the kids who have “holes” in their spirits. Empty, unfulfilled needs that they seek to fill later through co-dependent relationships, drug dependence, promiscuous sex, etc. and those are "dependence issues" are they not?

I could go on and on. And who knows..I may just do that at a later time. But these are my thoughts for today. Enjoy or cringe. Your choice.