So I read the Time article "Are You Mom Enough?" and I don't see what all the fuss is about. The magazine cover is totally sensationalist and not at all an accurate picture of what breastfeeding looks like at any age, but I wouldn't expect anything else from a magazine. Isn't that their job? To sensationlize things so they can sell magazines? Maybe our job is to take them less seriously.
I've read countless blogs since about how the cover sets full-term breastfeeders up to be gawked at like freaks. I had a moment, nursing my 20-month-old on the floor of Target in hopes of off-setting a brewing tantrum, in which I wondered how many of my fellow Target shoppers were indeed gawking at me like a freak. Then I realized that it's probably a little self-indulgent to assume anyone is that interested in me or my nursling. As it turns out, they seemed much more interested in choosing just the right socks or freezer bags.
The article itself was just not that shocking to me. Dare I say it even came off as objective? Attachment parenting is a beautiful, complicated and very challenging way of raising children, and is treated as such by the article. Big whoop.
What I want more of is articles and books that are honest about what a crazy ride parenting is. I hope we can put down the stupid baby books and start talking more openly about what a walking contradiction we all are. I'm totally on board with all things attachment parenting, yet I work full time and my daughter goes to daycare. Half the time I feel guilty about not being a stay-at-home mom, the other half I feel guilty for not keeping up professionally with my colleagues. But more and more these days, I don't feel guilty at all. I feel like someone who is doing a hell of a hard job and loving it for the exhausting, joyful mess that it is.
2 hours and 52 minutes until I can justify a glass of wine, but who's counting?
