pre-mother thoughts

I’ve been reflecting on the time before I was a mom.   Thoughts would run through my head about others close to me that were already parents.  I’d observe their parental tactics and make mental notes about what seemed to work for them and what I agreed with.  On the flip side I’d also make a mental note about what didn’t work or what I didn’t agree with for my own.  Ooops!!! I just fell in to the ethnocentrism category aka judgement!  Perhaps a lesson in cultural relativism was in order for me!  What I needed was the experience of becoming a mother my self so to learn the trials and triumphs of raising a little one.  Going into motherhood I had a list of what I was going to do.  I’m in love with our planet so cloth diapers made sense to me.  I’m keen on amazing nutrients so breast milk made sense to me.  A healthy, active body for the benefit of baby and I also made sense to me and so on.  It didn’t take long for my “optimal parent” list to be drastically altered.  I was getting schooled by my own life experiences!  I can’t think of a better way to learn than being thrown right in!  Any parent can attest to going from 0-100 km/h within seconds of having a little one.  Advice…BUCKLEUP…and enjoy the ride:)