Dread!

[ailbhe]

I ought to be in bed, but I'm here drinking port. I have that appointment with the colo-rectal specialist tomorrow, and a bunch of people on livejournal are attacking me for having raised Linnea according to her individual needs rather than according to international childcrea guidelines.

I am trying to stay out of it, since I don't actually need to justify myself to them, and I do know I did the right thing, but it's hard.

Comments

[charlosmum.livejournal.com]

a bunch of people on livejournal are attacking me for having raised Linnea according to her individual needs rather than according to international childcrea guidelines.

What? From what I've read in your posts, you sound like an ideal example of motherhood!

But I felt that way today -- it was my daughter's 2nd-year checkup and I could tell the nurse-practitioner thought we "spoil" her. It ruined my whole day.

Good luck for your appointment with the specialist.

[feetnotes.livejournal.com]

- "aol!" - "aol!" - "aol!"

- the linnea you describe is an intrepid and merry baby/toddler determined to explore and enjoy the world, meet and conquer all available adults, and growing fit to bust through a world record or two, nearly - they reckon you should be doing better than this with/for her to fit into these guidelines - and do they say precisely how they define better - or worse?

[annburlingham.livejournal.com]

But I felt that way today -- it was my daughter's 2nd-year checkup and I could tell the nurse-practitioner thought we "spoil" her. It ruined my whole day.

Okay, I have a (*ahem*, sure, *one) secret vice: I watch Dr. Phil. It's either Dr. Phil or Dr. Sears (the baby book, does that redeem me?) who says you can't spoil a 2-year-old. I think. I seem to remember. Well, anyway - you can't spoil them until they're not really babies anymore - they're still just drinking it all in, developmentally. Sure, they're *trainable*, but not really *spoilable* yet, I think.

Point being, screw the nurse-practioner. Probably thinks you're sparing the rod too much.

[charlosmum.livejournal.com]

Thanks! I feel the same way. What? I'm supposed to be less attentive? Pick her up less? Not respond to her cries? Let her deal with her frustrations or fears on her own? Send her to her room?

I'm not good with confrontation -- OK, I'm terrible with it -- so I said nothing... but promptly disregarded the whole visit and anything else she had to say. And it made me feel... bad. Not "doubting myself" bad, just general "unpleasant experience" bad.

Anyway, I'm clogging Ailbhe's journal. :-)

[ailbhe]

I like clogging! It makes me feel so popular, seeing the large comment numbers.

[owldaughter.livejournal.com]

Then allow me to toss my comment into the ring as well, after lurking for a few months. I love reading about how sensibly you're raising Linnea. You look to her for the requisite cues, and respond intelligently. You're not spoiling her, indulging her, or turning her into some sort of alien beast: you're raising a confident, happy young girl who knows that she has the love and support of her mother and father, and who can then explore the world from that solid and stable base. I can only hope that when my little boy comes out of NICU, I can connect with him and raise him in as successful a fashion. Best of luck to you all, and strength.