It's been awhile, friends. A lot has happened!
Just over a month ago I moved from Minnesota back to New York! With my parents' help, I moved into a new townhouse and got everything settled. Most importantly though, I got to welcome home my husband from his second deployment!! He has been home about a month now, and it feels so good to be settling into normal life again.
But all that aside, there's been something on my heart for awhile now.
Mom shaming.
I'm not talking about the never ending breastfeeding vs. bottle feeding battle. I'm not talking about those despicable disposable diapers vs. the far better cloth option (read sarcasm here <---). I'm definitely not talking about co-sleeping vs. crib sleeping.
I'm talking about age comparisons.
I'm talking about this meme specifically. Now, let me be clear before I go on, if you are someone that has shared this, I have *no* hard feelings towards you. At all. I just think it's an issue that needs to be addressed ;)
So here's the thing. I'm not a mom. I'd love to be, but I'm not. Between having a miscarriage, finding out I have endometriosis, and being married to someone that I have only seen for MAYBE half of our marriage, having a baby hasn't come easy.
And in two days I'll be 29.
It's depressing (insert super sad face here).
But that's just the way it is.
So when I see this meme going around, it stings a little.
I know young moms are often shamed. They hear things about how they're giving up their lives, how they can't travel and do "young people" things. I get it. I really, really do. But does that make it ok to then turn and shame people who choose, or more specifically those that don't choose, to wait until later in life to have kids? No. It doesn't.
If you're 20 and have kids, good for you.
If you're 30 and have kids, good for you.
If you're 40 and have kids, well heck, really good for you.
There is no reason to shame, whether intentionally or unintentionally, another mom, mom to be, or someday mom for how old, or young, they are.
A mom is a mom, no matter their age. Did I just go a little Dr. Seuss or what?!
So, here's to you, the mom that's 20 and and hoarding baby bottles instead of vodka bottles.
Here's to you, the mom to be that's 30 and expecting her first baby.
And here's to you, the mom that's nearing 35 and still praying, hoping, longing for a baby of her own.
Here's to you.
