Things Be Gettin' Crazy...

Good Friday Morning Everyone! With everything that has been going on in the past week, I am absolutely exhausted and so happy that it's FINALLY FRIDAY! I don't know about you, but for me it felt like this day was never going to come. Every day dragged on and on, and I was so tired I could barely keep my eyes open. I have to work this weekend, but at least I won't have to be up at 6 and at the office by 7 which is nice. Last night, E was asked to watch both of his nephews because both parents had to work. Now, we are used to watching the 3 year old... but we had never been left with the 6 month old and I was a little worried about how we were going to handle it. But, despite a few tears before bedtime, the entire night went smoothly and E managed to have the little one sound asleep before his mom got home while I watched 'Night at the Museum 2' with big brother. 

While there last night, I started to think a lot about how much really goes in to raising kids. I was already exhausted from my busy week... but you don't know exhaustion until you have an energetic three year old boy and a 6 month year old who is teething. I mean, I was only there for a few hours and they had me whiped out. Forget that I had E there, who happens to be a baby whisperer after having spent a lot of time with his 5 nephew and 1 niece. I have never been one of those people who thinks 'having kids is a piece of cake, they poop, have a bottle and sleep', my first job was at a daycare after all.. but I know that you can never be prepared for the tired you will feel when you have your first child. 

Proud Big Brother Meeting Baby Brother

It also got me thinking about all the craziness that has been in the news recently regarding parenting. From the weird video Alicia Silverstone posted, to the controversial book "Beyond the Sling" by Blossom's Mayim Bialik, it seems to me the world of parenting has gone mad. Or maybe just the Hollywood world of parenting has gone mad. Either way, it seems that everyone is now an expert on parenting and knows that what they are doing is theee only way to do it and that everyone else's way is wrong. As far as I'm concerned... they all sound nuts. Now, I am not a mother, and I cannot say that their way isn't right for their families... but I can say that I think some of these woman are going to seriously (now I don't want to say the word screw, because I don't like it) confuse their children. I mean, doesn't Alicia think that it's going to be a bit odd and confusing for her son when he tries to eat food out of another kids mouth in pre-school? Doesn't Mayim think that her kids are going to get made fun of when they are 13 and still sleeping in bed with their mother and father? Doesn't January Jones think her son is going to be embarrassed when his friends read this about his mother? I don't want to sound judgmental here, because I honestly think that there are as many ways to parent as there are families in this world, and everyone has their own way that is right for them... but this is getting out of control. These woman aren't saying 'this is what I do because it works for us', they are saying 'this is what I do and you should absolutely be doing it too because it will work for you'. Well guess what ladies... besides Mayim who has a PhD, starring in Mad Men and Clueless doesn't make you a parenting expert. Just because you're famous doesn't mean you should be telling people how to raise their children, which is what you are trying to do. And don't even get me started on Dara-Lynn Weiss who was featured in Vogue's 'Shape' issue in an article about how she put her 6 year-old daughter on a diet and told her she was overweight. Talk about a bad role-model for your child. 


All that to say that I don't think there is one right way to parent, but infinite right ways. And no, I don't have children, so it's easy for me to comment when I haven't been in this situation... but parenting is scary enough and all of this craziness makes even more nervous about having kids (not anytime soon.. but one day). What do you think about all these new parenting styles? Do you think these children will grow up to be strong, confident and independent adults? What happened to the good old days of "Kids Should be Seen and Not Heard?" :)

Have a great weekend everyone!

With Love,

S