Radical Parenting My A**

Sometimes I make the mistake of staying up too late and watching obscure tv shows like Discovery Health's "Radical Parenting". I'd put a link here, but the show's so bad even their homepage doesn't have much on it. According to whomever thought this show was a good idea (probably some childless male executive), breastfeeding, babywearing, any sleeping arrangement other than a crib, and homeschooling are all "radical" ways to raise children. The perky young child psychologist they interviewed pointed out that these methods require parents to "really be in touch with their children" and added that"attachment parenting is hard work, sometimes leading to burnout". (*I shouldn't use quotes since I didn't tape it or write it down. I may well be off by a few articles, but this is damn close to verbatim.)

First, my husband's response to my rant the next morning: "Who said raising kids was easy?".

Now my take. I agree with my husband. I also know that all of the aforementioned parenting choices have been the norm, not the exception, throughout the world and throughout history. Artificial baby foods, high-powered marketing, and a jump in taxes in the '70s all helped twist our idea of what raising kids is supposed to be about. No one makes you have kids. There is certainly no shortage of humans on Earth. So if you don't want to put in the time and effort, money and patience it takes to raise another individual human (or several) then don't do it. If you have kids, and choose to share that responsibility with someone else, via daycare or other care providers, then recognize that YOU are the one making the unnatural parenting choice. I don't judge you; I don't know why you made your choice. But I will not be labeled a freak or hippy because I don't buy in to Madison Avenue-marketing mothering.

If I have an opportunity, I will do my best to support you and your child. Human beings are social, communal animals, and I will gladly help you in any way I can. I will also expect that you will recognize that breasts exist to make milk to feed babies, that babywearing wraps are some of the earliest human inventions, and that families in most of the world and for most of human existence have slept together for comfort and protection.

Now, I realize that this show is the "brainchild" of some of the same tv execs who failed to label the Gosselins or Duggars "radical" parents, in spite of all their efforts. Many of you agree with me about this dangerous provocation, this blatant effort to further divide parents into camps. I hope you'll help take the stigma out of attachment parenting and other "radical" behaviors, and encourage and support each other as we raise the next generation.

Me? I'm off to do some real radical parenting - getting both my kids' rooms cleaned before bedtime.

Namaste'