What’s Your Mom Style? Part II

In last week’s post you met the “Helicopter Mom” – and her associates, Tiger Mom, Lawnmower Parent, and Peacock Mom – which might’ve felt like looking in a mirror or perhaps reminded you of someone you know.  Now for a swing in the other direction, we’ll be looking at the…

Crunchy Mama

Like the name says, these mamas are as crunchy as the granola they love to munch on 😉  Sometimes mainstream media gets a kick out of making “hippie” puns for a quick laugh, but to Crunchy Mamas, their parenting style is no joke!

 

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Crunchy Mamas can range from the casual, cloth diaper kind to the all-natural, green extreme.  But in general, most of these mamas shun mainstream parenting traditions, reject hospital births and circumcisions, and opt out of processed food and synthetic materials.  They prefer discipline-free parenting, use essential oils and homeopathic remedies, choose home births, and highly esteem breastfeeding and vegetarian/vegan/paleo diets.

Well when you put it that way…

Pros:

There’s a lot to be said for giving your children a technology free and fruit ‘n’ veggie filled childhood.  Crunchy mamas strongly value health and wellness in their household.  If being “crunchy” means teaching your children to eat well and respect the environment, then that’s not so bad (even if that means poppin’ a placenta pill or two!)

Look at the healthy puppy!

Cons:

Some criticize Crunchy Mamas for being too far off the grid when it comes to the extremes of this parenting style.  Breastfeeding your child well beyond their toddler years, rejecting public school and traditional education settings, and perpetuating a general mistrust of modern medicine could potentially lead to issues for both mother and child down the line.

Dependency is a possibility

Subtypes:

Attachment Parenting Mama: 

Where the Crunchy Mama focuses on physical well-being, the AP mother emphasizes emotional healthiness.  Even before the baby is born, the AP Mama is already preparing herself by eliminating any negative energy prior to birth.  Baby’s cries are viewed as non-verbal communication to which the mother should always respond sensitively.  Skin-to-skin, breastfeeding, baby-wearing, and co-sleeping are all trademarks of Attachment Parenting.

A perk of baby-wearing: Adorable costumes

Ahimsa Parenting:

The Crunchy Momma focus on physical well being and the AP moms emphasize the emotional side of things, but the Ahimsa Mama strongly values spiritual wellness.  This yogi mommy is all about bringing up socially conscious children in a mindful environment.  Ahimsa, popular in Eastern belief systems like Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism, is a Sanskrit term meaning “non-violence.”  Just like Ghandi, this peaceful parent wants nothing more than harmony and respect amongst all living creatures.

If a kitten and puppy can get along, so can we

 

 

So there’s the second installment in our series on the different parenting styles of moms.  What did you think?  Is this “Green” style up your alley or is it too “hippie-dippie” for your liking?  Share your thoughts below and make sure to check back next Monday and see if the new post is more your cup of tea!

What’s Your Mom Style?

Remember the fun quizzes you would take as a teenager?  “Who’s Your Celeb Twin?”  “What Decade Do You Belong In?”  Well I figured we could have a little fun here, too, and talk about our different mom styles!

So each week we’ll look at a different kind of style of “mom-ing,” if you will.  Can we make that a thing?  Mom-ing!  It’s just so catchy haha.  Anyways, in today’s spotlight we have the…

Helicopter Mother

Sure, the term has some negative connotations these days, but it’s not all bad.  Right?  I’m a glass half-full kinda gal, so I like to believe that deep down inside, the Helicopter Mom just wants what is best for her child.  But sometimes she can get a little carried away with her good intentions.

http://www.hulu.com/watch/317267

 

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The term “Helicopter Mom” comes from her tendency to hover over her child/children.  She can be overly immersed in every aspect of her child’s life.  And not only is she aware of everything going on with her child, she is equally involved with their doctors, teachers, and the parents of her child’s friends.

Just sayin’

Pros:

The upside to so much hovering is that if there ever really is a problem, they will know about it immediately.  An otherwise ignored illness, a bully on the playground, will all be caught and addressed by the all-seeing Helicopter Mom.

“MY BABYYY!!!”

Cons:

The children of Helicopter Parents face a potential future of entitlement, inflated ego, anxiety issues, and a fear of failure.  If their parent(s) have been there their whole life, micro-managing everything, righting every wrong, coddling, and swooping in to save them from anything bad, then they may not be prepared to deal with the real world.

“Moooomm! You’re embarrassing me!!!”

Subtypes:

Tiger Mom:

I can’t help it, I love Supernatural

Deeply concerned with academic performance and fiercely protective, these moms tend to be stricter than Helicopter Moms.  The end result is highly valued.  Success is measured by grades, trophies, and medals.

Lawnmower Parent:

…and these moms mean it!

Also known as a Bulldozer Mom, this mom will go to any length to make sure her child never has to face any kind of obstacle or problem.  She will mow down or bulldoze anything that poses a threat to her child, whether it’s making a bad grade disappear or canceling play dates with rough kids.

Peacock Mom:

Your child may have an inflated ego…

Proud as a peacock, this mom frames every doodle, takes loads of pictures, and fills your Facebook feed with all her little one’s accomplishments.  Not only does she love showing off her own child, she is constantly comparing her child to others.  “Oh your son isn’t crawling yet?  Mine has been crawling for two months now.”

 

And that finishes the first installment in a series on different mom styles!  Stay tuned for the next mom style!  Remember, everything on here is just for funsies and shouldn’t be taken too seriously 🙂  Hope you enjoyed it

Is “Me Time” Necessary or Narcissistic?

Every mom, newbie or old pro, knows her baby is the number one priority.  At least that’s what society tells us.  Everything from film to television to social media tells women that once they become mothers, they are to wear their unkempt hair and blood-shot eyes as a badge of motherhood pride.  We’re supposed to be tired, selfless, angels who never complain about performing the same endless tasks without ceasing.

But guess what?  That’s not reality.  The reality is that yes, we get to a point where we don’t care if there’s a little spit up on our shirt, but we also know that we need a break every now and then, too.  I’m not suggesting you put in earplugs and take a bubble bath while your baby cries in the other room.  I’m suggesting we all stop pretending to be robots that are capable of indefinitely living on no sleep and able to do everything without help or support.  After all, even robots break down.

So here are some of the reasons I think we should start a new trend of unapologetically taking care of ourselves so that we can continue being the awesome mothers we already are.  And just for fun, all the gifs are of Leslie Knope from Parks & Rec because why not?

It Helps You Compartmentalize

Sometimes, when you’re knee-deep in dirty onesies and your hands are full or drooly toys, you can get overwhelmed and your to do list can seem insurmountable.

Enjoying a nice cup of tea for a moment allows you to take a step back and look at the problem with a fresh pair of eyes.  A little breather can make any to do list less Mt. Everest-y and more pitcher’s mound-ish.

It Lets You See Your Child Differently

When you are with your baby 24/7, life can become a routine.  Feed the baby, change the baby, play with the baby, calm the baby, repeat.  Did I mention life has no pause button?

Even a little time apart can put your baby in a new light.  All of a sudden it’s not a routine you have to keep up with; you get to watch this funny little human grow up right in front of your eyes.

It Clears Your Head

This one is a no-brainer, no pun intended.  When you’re running around worrying about doing the laundry, taking care of the baby, and running errands, you can easily become frazzled.

Even meditating for fifteen minutes can give you time to clear your head of any fears or worry and be able to face the day recharged.

It Extinguishes Anger

We all get angry, don’t lie.  Whether your baby soiled his clothes for the umpteenth time or your partner forgot to clean the bottles, even the littlest things can cause you to see red when running on little sleep and a fried brain.

Stepping away from the situation can put things into perspective and calm you down.  You may even laugh about whatever it was that initially got you grumpy in the first place!

It Can Make Your Partner Appreciate You More

You know that saying, “A pictures is worth a thousand words,” right?  Well thirty minutes with a fussy baby is worth a million words.  You can tell your partner a hundred different ways about what all goes into your day and that the baby isn’t always a perfect little angel.  But…

All moms are like ninjas crossed with Jedis

Some one-on-one time will show your partner just how hard you work while taking care of the baby, and I bet you will be more appreciated.

So go on ladies, it’s time to do away with the guilt and the fear of judgement.  After all, if you don’t take care of yourself, then you can’t take care of your baby.