WhoWhatWhen...

Darling daughter and I have just returned from our last day (for the term) of Waldorf School's parent/child program. Each Friday I come home more confused that the week before. Today my head is really puzzling over our teacher's rather sudden and last-minute outpouring of anti-extended breastfeeding sentiment. Now I will say for the record that I have been battling a rather draining bug while trying to go the extra mile to help DD get through the same bug with ear-infection, so I am experiencing a hightened sensitivity in general. That said, I felt blindsided.

Why, you ask? Don't lots of people have lots of opinions on this controversial issue (and many related issues) ? Didn't I expect and hope to talk with and listen to Waldorf educators and parents folks about these things?

I guess part of it, and I think it's time to air this, is that I question my decisions about child-rearing all the time. Right. Who doesn't? And I do think it's really hard to continue to wake up night after night to nurse while other moms continue to show great pride as they regale me and others with stories of how HER (or his) child slept through the night at two months! (or whatever) But then I think about the fact that I had never heard of the term "Attachment Parenting" until DD and I had developed a relationship that worked comfortably for us, then set out to find like-minded people - and discovered a parenting philosophy shared by many!

It feels kind of like standing up in a row boat. Every now and then a ripple, or wave, or tsunami comes at the boat and I have to work, think, process, read, talk, journal, hurt, soothe...and regain balance.

Because, afterall, there is no right, right?