Competitive Mums

I recently read this http://babycalm.wordpress.com/2011/06/12/carly-cole-the-new-baby-whisperer-and-the-daily-mail/ as a response to an article in the Daily Mail (don't worry I don't read the Daily Mail)! I was surprised by the ferocity of the blogger and thought for someone who promotes calm babies, she seems a rather angry and judgemental person.


This blog also caused a bit of an uproar on facebook and Mums were shot down for agreeing with some of the original daily mail article.


It made me think that us women will never be happy if we are constantly criticising others, their dress sense, weight, the way they bring up their children. We're clearly willing to join in the 'yes, we are all individuals' from the Life of Brian! We are all different and our children are all different. Why would they all conform or not conform to the same standards. Who are we to tell a mother she is doing things 'wrong' because she does or doesn't follow a routine. Surely happy, healthy babies are a sign of good parenting? I will admit that I sit on the side of the fence that agrees with routines. Only because they have worked wonders with my two but I would never judge a woman who doesn't have a routine.


Once I was at a 'baby shoe party' (it was rubbish) but the woman running it basically had a go at me for going back to work four days a week (when my son was 11 months old). I simply explained that for me, staying at home made me unhappy. Being at work challenged me and made me happy and my son was happy with a childminder. Clearly I am an awful mother. I even find time (occasionally) to write a blog because my baby is asleep in the day and we are both happy.


Mums - cut yourselves some slack. We actually are all individual and we should just accept that we do things differently.