Controversial Parenting Topics

I will start this off by saying, I love to have debates. It fosters communication, learning, and growth. With that said, I don't agree with people attacking other people because of their choices and decisions. Having a civilized conversation is definitely the way to approach controversial topics. In parenting, there are many decisions to be made about how to raise baby. There is no right way to raise a child. Parents choose what is best for them, their baby, and their family.

#1 How to Give Birth

My take on this topic is that every woman will give birth how she feels is best. A woman has to choose the right way for her.

#2 Months vs Years

This one drives me nuts!! You won't hear me going around saying, "Oh my son is 27 months old!" Now that he is a year old, he will be referred to as being 1 year old.

#3 No Winning in Competition

My opinion is that we are doing our children no favors by saying every child is a winner. There is definitely nothing wrong with some healthy and fair competition. By giving everyone a winner's trophy, we are teaching our children that it doesn't matter if they fail or if they don't work hard, they will always be rewarded. That is wrong and not how real life works.

#4 Co-sleeping/bed sharing

Since the first week of his life, my husband and I have co-slept with our son. Some nights, having him in the bed with us was the only way that he would sleep! It is still that way with him sometimes. Many cultures have co-slept with their babies for centuries! I don't understand where all this, "co-sleeping increases SIDS" comes from. SIDS stands for Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. There is no known cause for it. I have never worried or feared for my son's safety while he was sleeping with us. He also has slept in our room since birth (partly because we only have 1 bedroom) and I feel safer that way.

#5 Child Leashes

I fully intend to use a leash with my son. I see nothing wrong with this. We all know how much trouble a child can get into within seconds. With all the abductions and horrible things happening in this country, I won't take a chance that my son could be taken from me.

#6 Feeding

Again, all I will say here is that it is up to the mom's discretion. No mom should ever be attacked or ashamed for how she chooses to feed her baby.

#7 Medication for Illnesses

We have been giving our son Tylenol to help him sleep while teething, and it has been a lifesaver! To each their own, but I would rather help my son out when he is in pain.

#8 Spanking and Discipline

I will use spanking for severe punishments and time outs with my children. Yes, I will explain to them why they are in trouble and what they did, but with every action comes consequence. Children are not learning these lessons, and as a result, they are doing whatever they please without any thought of the consequences that can follow.

#9 Electronics

CHILDREN SHOULD NOT HAVE THEIR OWN iPADS, TVS, AND COMPUTERS!! Yes, my son will watch his Wiggles and Puppy Dog Pals but he does not sit in front of a tv all day. Yes, we let him have our phones sometimes, but his biggest draw to it is he likes to press the button and make the baby's face appear. My children will not have their own electronics. I don't even plan to get them phones until they can pay for them on their own. This may be an unpopular decision, but having the internet and social media at their fingers at all times is seriously detrimental to their development and social relationships.

#10 Pacifiers

My son could not take or use a pacifier for the first 4 months of his life. He had no help in soothing. When he finally could take pacifiers, it was a lifesaver! Luckily, he is the type of baby that can do without one, but finds comfort in it when offered. I think pacifiers are a great tool for babies (provided they are weaned from them when they start getting all their teeth and talking). Honestly, it will be harder to wean my son off his bottle.

Authority in the Classroom; The Teacher and...The Cellphone?

Nowadays, it seems that the Smartphone has overtaken life. It is a tool, a toy, and a distraction. The one place where the Smartphone shouldn't be a focus is in the classroom. Sadly, this is not the reality. Schools have been adapting their policies to give students more opportunities to use their phones during the school day. It is becoming an increasing battle of attention between the teacher and the students' phones.

Now, it's not just smartphones that have become a problem. It's technology in general. Laptops and Chromebooks have become the sole source for working. Many junior highs and high schools have all the classroom and homework done on a computer and emailed to the teacher. Pencils and paper are quickly becoming obsolete. This is frustrating, because there are many studies that prove writing things down on paper commits the information to memory better than typing it!! How are we as educators supposed to help students learn important information if we aren't giving them the best chance? For me, the most frustrating part of my day is when a student cannot figure out how to use a book to find the information they need. They rely solely on Google to give them all their answers.

Schools need to start realizing the implications of allowing technology, and especially cellphones, to take over the school. Bullying online is happening during the school day, students aren't paying attention in class, and they are accessing inappropriate material. Even with web restrictions set by the administration, the students can still find a way to bypass it or find an alternative. Schools are allowing the students to be in control when they give them this much power.

Technology does have the opportunity to be an important supplementary tool. Smartboards, computers, and table iPads are all great tools that can help a student's learning. But the problem comes when they are only using technology to learn.

What are your thoughts about technology in the classroom? Should it be restricted or should students, as young as second graders, be allowed to have free reign of their phones and the computers in the classroom?

All for One and One for... One?

I have a presence on most forms of social media. The two I am on the most is Twitter and Facebook. Lately, on both, I have been seeing so many moms tearing down other moms for their choices. It doesn't even matter what the choice or decision is; there will always be someone who judges you. There has been the breastfeeding/formula feeding, co-sleeping, baby led weaning, technology, and so many other debates! 

Why do women, especially moms, think it is okay to tear down another mom based on her decisions for her child? It's okay to have an opinion and voice that opinion respectfully, but it is never okay to attack or shame another woman or mother for her choice. We as women already have so many judgements and hate placed upon us, from our clothing choices to our hair styles and our bodies. Why make things worse for others? As women and mothers, we should be respecting our fellow women. It does no good to tear someone down just for the enjoyment of hurting someone. Both mothers and non-mothers are culprits of this! If you aren't a mother, there's nothing wrong with that! But do not judge another woman's decision about her child. The lines get blurrier after you have the responsibility of caring for and protecting a human child. Mothers need to build up and support other mothers! This world can be so cruel and we all need a little love.

My plea to women everywhere is this: Be kind to your fellow woman. Pray for her, show her love, and support or encourage her in times of need. There is no need to be mean to someone for the sake of being mean. Whether it is in real life or on social media, the goal should be the same. Love your fellow humans and especially your fellow woman. 

Class is in Session!

Here we are in the midst of the third full week of school and I am on my 5th substitute teacher assignment. I must admit, it's pretty exciting and addicting to get that notification of a job opportunity. It is almost as addicting as accepting rides on Uber (my side/part time gig)! I am loving this teacher life! It feels good to be in a position of leadership! When that app notification comes through that a sub job is available, a rush of adrenaline courses over me! Keep those jobs coming! This girl is snagging them up and filling my calendar! If you need me, schedule a time with my planner! Spots are filling fast!

I am in the second round of my graduate classes. Included in this is 100 practicum hours :O Luckily, I can use my substitute hours to count for this! Unfortunately, I will have to do 100 more hours for the spring semester! I am still blown away with how the workload for a graduate class compares to the workload from undergrad! All I can picture is the taste of sweet freedom when I graduate May of 2020! It doesn't seem that far away, but there will be a lot of work ahead of me!

My tiny prince is almost one year old! 10 more days and I will officially have 2 toddlers (yes, Spirit counts as a toddler)! I am in shock of how fast this last year went! Little man is learning new things every day and pretty soon he will be walking. I am very excited for his birthday party. I get a whole weekend to celebrate this rainbow that blessed my and so many other people's lives. He is truly a miracle and I couldn't imagine my life without him!

The hunt for a house is still on! Somehow, there is a small beacon of light shining through very dark and thick clouds for us. We may have a saving grace! Please keep us in your prayers that everything will align and come into place for us to get a house by the holidays! My designer brain is going crazy with all the things I can do when I finally have a place to call my own! Of course, designing and decorating little man's bedroom will come first! I have been dreaming of what his room would look like since I found out about him!

This weekend is my husband and I's five year dating and two year wedding anniversary! How crazy is that??? Two years sure goes by fast when you are experiencing life with your best friend! I am so lucky that I got to marry my soulmate and my best friend! We will finally get to go out and have a fancy date night to celebrate this life we are building together!

If you've made it this far, thank you! I have a tendency to ramble, especially when I am excited! I hope there are more good things and blessings headed my way! Feel free to leave a note if there is a way I can pray for you!

In the words of my son's favorite show, "Happy wiggling!"