W+J Family Blog » 2008 » June » 06 http://wjfamilyblog.com Fri, 30 Dec 2011 01:37:07 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.2 Comments http://wjfamilyblog.com/2008/06/06/comments/ http://wjfamilyblog.com/2008/06/06/comments/#comments Fri, 06 Jun 2008 16:01:00 +0000 Amy http://nataliecaroline.com/?p=209 I realize having a blog and allowing people to comment on it leaves us open to people’s judgements. For the most part, the people who read “The Chronicles of Natalie” love us and leave supportive comments. Sometimes, though, we get hurtful comments from strangers (at least I think/hope they’re strangers). Over a year ago, someone left a comment that said something to the effect of “why are you putting your child at risk for being kidnapped by putting her pictures online for all the world to see?” We decided not to publish it. We have taken precautions as far as not publishing where we live, etc. The harsh reality is that children are much more likely to be hurt by a family member or someone they know than by a stranger.

It’s hard to become a parent. Our culture is overwrought with judgements (especially of mothers) that make it hard to for parents to feel like they’re doing a good job. Mothers are criticized for working, for staying home, for using too much discipline or not enough discipline, for not breastfeeding and for breastfeeding too long.

The most recent judgmental comment was in response to my post Tooties. The person wrote:

are you kidding? the kid is eating a cookie and still beoing [sic] breast fed, that is utterly disgusting and disgraceful!! Is she going to go to school like that?

I wasn’t really sure how to respond. Part of me wanted to just put the comment in the spam folder and ignore it. I’d love to be secure enough in my decisions to not feel defensive, but the comment rattled me. And I do feel the need to defend my own choices as a mother. And to shout, with pride….YES, I’M STILL BREASTFEEDING MY 18-MONTH-OLD DAUGHTER!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I know not everyone makes this choice. I know that some people are uncomfortable with breastfeeding—especially with extended nursing. I knew publishing that photo might have made some people squirm. Too bad. Judge all you want. The fact is that extended breastfeeding is good for kids and moms.

Breastfeeding a toddler “disgusting and disgraceful”? More like healthy and commendable!

And I’m sure Natalie will be fully weaned by the time she starts kindergarten…Hopefully by the time she has children, the our culture will be more supportive and accepting of breastfeeding.

]]> http://wjfamilyblog.com/2008/06/06/comments/feed/ 8 Smoothie and a Bagel http://wjfamilyblog.com/2008/06/06/smoothie-and-a-bagel/ http://wjfamilyblog.com/2008/06/06/smoothie-and-a-bagel/#comments Fri, 06 Jun 2008 15:09:53 +0000 Amy http://nataliecaroline.com/?p=208 Yummy smoothie:
Yum!

It’s about to spill…
Uh-oh!

Brain freeze!
Brain freeze!

Big bite:
Big bite

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