You raise your kid, I'll raise mine

I'm really sick of unsolicited advice, or flat out criticism. I'm not sure if its lack of sleep, hormones, motherly instincts or just plain bitchiness, but fuck people, SHUT UP! The thing is, I am not an idiot, in fact I am chronically well informed--I have a compulsive need to know, well, everything. So, unless you are a doctor, no scratch that, unless you are MY doctor, leave your opinions out, because that is what they are, opinions, because you are not an expert either. Honestly, I don't give a damn how many kids you've raised, how you fed your children, what worked for you and I damn well don't give a shit what your opinions are of how I raise mine. That is why he is MINE. Go raise your own! If you ask me how my son sleeps and I say he still wakes 2-3 times a night to eat that doesn't mean I want your "fix" because it isn't broken. Breastfed babies don't sleep through the night until 6 months to 1 year usually. Oh, and sleeping through the night is defined as 5-6 hours. Me saying I'm tired is just a fact, parenting, especially single parenting, is exhausting. It just is, that is why I took a year off, so I could raise my baby.

I'm just over it. I very consciously raise my son, it isn't an accident. Do I think people who make other choices are going to do severe damage to their kids? No. I really don't, but I'm still not doing it. Parenting choices are for parents. I choose to co-sleep, exclusively breastfeed, let X self-wean, cloth diaper, carry and play with my son all day and never hit him, EVER. I don't choose to let him cry, put him down if I don't need to or clean my house daily. I don't know any 16 who still sleeps with his or her parents, breastfeeds or is completely codependent. The research says attachment parenting leads to dependent, confident, inquisitive children. But more than that, it doesn't even matter, because it is my choice. I have to live with it, and letting my son cry or giving him rice cereal so he'll sleep better is not what I believe is best for him, and I can't live with not doing what I think is best for him. I also can't live with regretting not holding him more, or playing with him, or soothing him as soon as possible, but I can live with dog hair, dust and dishes. If you can't, then don't. But fucking stop telling me what I should do. And if anyone, ever, for any reason hits my kid (spanking, flicking, tapping--however you justify it) they won't see him. I don't care why, or how much you believe it is right or what your relationship is to him.

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