2 of 23

Write now Article Tools

I am a terrible mother. My 11-month old daughter barely eats any solid foods, because she's just not interested right now. I plan to breastfeed her until she weans herself, and not a moment before. I allow her to nurse on her own schedule, even when she just wants to nurse for comfort.I am a terrible mother. Everybody knows that babies don't know what they need, so you have to give them solid foods, even if they don't want them. And if you allow them to self-wean and nurse on demand, they'll think they can always have what they want, whenever they want it. I am a terrible mother, and I apparently don't care about my child's nutrition.

My daughter sleeps with my husband and me in our bed for a large part of the night. She often sleeps latched onto my breast, because she sometimes can't sleep otherwise. I refuse to let her cry it out at bedtime, and instead allow her to set her own bedtime and nighttime rhythm. I don't make her take naps when she doesn't want to, and I don't keep her awake when she wants to take a nap, even if I need to go to the grocery store. Everyone knows that kids need discipline and structure. If you don't let them cry sometimes, they'll be spoiled, and start to manipulate you. I am a terrible mother for not letting my child cry in her room alone.

I don't believe in spanking. I believe in alternative methods of discipline, such as time-outs, talking it out, and creative discipline. I believe the punishment should fit the crime: if my daughter writes on the walls with crayon, her punishment will be to clean it up, not being grounded, because being grounded has nothing to do with writing on the walls. If my child throws a fit in the store because I won't buy her a toy or a candy bar, we will leave the store - I will not hit her or scream at her. But everyone knows that sometimes kids just need a good smack across the rear end. Kids who don't get spanked grow up to be selfish and spoiled, and never learn to follow the rules. I'm a bad mother for wanting to raise my child this way.

My daughter rarely wears socks. In fact, unless we go out, she rarely wears any clothes at all. The only thing she wears around the house is a cloth diaper with a diaper cover. No, we don't use disposables, even though everyone knows that cloth diapers are "yucky." And running around with no socks like that will make her catch a cold. Everybody knows that. I am a horrible, horrible mom.

Wait a minute - that can't be right. My child is one of the happiest babies I've

• 1
• 2
• next page >>

Add your voice

Know something about Reflections: What makes a good mother?
We want to hear your view. Write now!