because I agree... A LOT (and to get that gross picture of me away from the top..)

My good friend Betsey wrote this on her blog today and linked to another great blog post. I am so impressed by Betsey and her willingness to share her experiences because this is something I know mothers (ME) deal with ALL THE TIME. Why do we criticize each other? Whether veiled or obvious there is nothing to be gained from pointing fingers at someone's ability to parent in an effort to feel better about your own. But it is so easy to fall into the trap because being a mother is so important and personal to all of us. And I think pretty much everyone loves their kids more than life itself, so when someone doubts the choices we make with respect to those kids it can be devastating and beyond easy to get defensive and feel the need to jump in the fray. Whether this is in big choices families make (whether mom is going to work, stay home, have a nanny, live-in, live-out, housekeeper, whatever) or little things (pacifiers, processed foods, formula, plastic bottles, discipline, diapers, organic freaking crib mattresses that cost like $400 for crying out loud...) how much do we make choices because of what is best for our kids and how often is it about comparing ourselves to someone else? Last night I just about broke down and got WAY too upset with harrison because he refused to brush or let me brush his teeth. Was it because I was really concerned about his dental hygiene or was it because I was thinking of all the "perfect parents" I know and the fact that I'm SO SURE their kids always brush their teeth and couldn't figure out why my kid wasn't doing and where I had gone so wrong? Sheesh. Let's get over it. Here's my reminder to try. I hope I can be a better mother and a better to support to my friends regardless of what parenting paths they go down.