I have decided that it's time to stop apologizing for my beliefs. I do know that there are gentle ways to get people to understand what you're getting at. But I'll be damnd if I let someone guilt me into saying "What you do with your kid is ok."

We all agree ok is NOT ok. If it was, then how come we have the problems we do in our country? How come we have school shootings, people leaving their kids home alone so they can watch a movie, children taken to daycare even when they're sick? Our priorities are messed up. I notice it in conversations I have with other moms. I saw it when I worked daycare, I just never knew what could fix it- but I did know your kids want you more than they want *things.

My son may never grow up and say "Thanks for breastfeeding me mom." But I'm sure he will never be paying a shrink big bucks to talk about how his mother never had time for him. I started by breastfeeding, and after giving that I just knew I could give more...and he needed more.

I want to respect my child as a person NOW, because I don't want to be apologizing to him when he grows up. My father still apologizes for spanking us, not spending enough time with us and for not being our ADVOCATE while we were growing up. I will raise my child in such a way that I know I did everything possible to respect and support his humanity from day one.

Why should other people have the right to tell me how to raise my child, but I am not allowed to comment on their child-rearing practices?

I will never stop learning and I will never stop growing. What I WILL stop is apologizing.

Why shouldn't the naysayers apologize to ME for being lazy, accidental parents? It's their kids who have an increased chance of being disgruntled and taking it out on society. It's their kids who will feel like the world owes them because their parents gave them everything but their time.

So no, I won't apologize because I have deeply held beliefs. I believe nobody can take care of a child as well as it's parents (be they biological or adopted...parents mean the people who carry a child in the HEART.) I believe that human milk is for human babies, nothing could ever be as good. I believe that we should not mutilate our children's genitals. I believe we should not hit a child just because they are smaller. We find alternatives in our interactions with other adults, why not show children the same effort and respect? I believe that if a child is lonely at night, there should always be a warm welcome in a cozy family bed. I believe that every child deserves the human closeness they desire, if they need to be held, they should be. I believe a child's cries should be responded to, their needs are no less real or important than our own. I believe that by giving these simple things to our children now, they will give back to the world in wondrous ways.