I watched an interview with Mayim Bialik of Blossom fame at Spotlight on Nightlight. Her views and child-reading methods are being considered somewhat controversial. What I find fascinating about the backlash in the media is that some jump to conclusions about her without knowing all the facts, just because she played "Blossom." What could some hasbeen actress possibly know? Here is a highly educated woman who has earned bachelor's degrees in neuroscience, Hebrew, and Jewish Studies and went on to receive her PhD. in neuroscience. She researched her choices heavily and made no decision lightly. Whether you agree or disagree with her choices, her eloquence is amazing and inspiring (IMHO).Which is the best approach to parenting is quite the topic for discussion. There are so many areas to choose from and so many opinions that it can leave your head spinning. And the scariest part of raising a child begins right at birth. Should you breastfeed or bottlefeed? Should the baby sleep with you, next to you, or in another room entirely? Should you use cloth or disposable diapers? Should you feed your baby store-bought food or puree it yourself? Right out of the gate, you are impacting your child's future with your choices and the stress of that never really ends as they grow up. That is an overwhelming notion, even for the most confident parent.
That is why I admire the mavericks who parent to the beat of their own drum, critics be damned. Don't get me wrong, there is a fine line between a healthy dose of different and a dash of detrimental. For example, there are those who believe that you should only breastfeed for six months to a year and that's good enough. Then there are those more extreme cases where the people nurse for literally years. I think there should be a balance there...if the kid can pour themselves a glass a milk then they oughta be done. :) My mom told me that breastfeeding was considered a thing of the past in her youth, so she was encouraged to bottlefeed me. As for my own kids, nursing lasted for 13 months with my son and 18 months with my daughter, so you be the judge.
I admire Mayim Bialik for her courage to speak out about her choices and stick to her guns. (And yes, she might be nursing in the photo but it's hard to tell for sure...so kudos to her again for just being herself). That's the beauty of freedom and parenthood, you get to choose what works best for you and yours. Special thanks to another amazing mother whose blog always inspires me to keep a strong faith and to believe in what you do.
4 comments:
Aw, thank you, Dauphy!! You made my night. And what an interesting interview with that actress. I am mildly familiar with her, but I have known several people who practice "attachment parenting." We don't, but I do respect any parent who is so dedicated and in tune to her children. She seems like a neat lady. :) Thanks for your comments on my recent blog, too. So much going on -- my head is spinning, but I'm glad there are so many out there in cyber-space to share with. :)
Right on! There are so many ways to do things and no one should be critical of someone else's choices. It's really OK for someone to do something other than what is suggested to them. If it works for you and your child(ren), do it.
Great blog!
You are very welcome! :) In case you're wondering where you've seen her (other than "Blossom"), she played the younger version of Bette Midler in the movie "Beaches."
Hey, Dauphy. I haven't started that blog yet. I had an idea, but I only grabbed the title and did a test. I keep hoping to find some time to get it going, but I haven't found it yet and I am still mulling it over in my brain. If I ever get it going, I'll make sure to open it up and let everyone know! Thanks for asking about it. :)
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