{Series} Parenting Quiz Part 6:

Naomi Maharaj and kids

By: Naomi Maharaj

In my first year as a parent I was always worried about if I was doing things ‘right’. Was I helping my baby get to sleep in a productive manner? Was I following an appropriate feeding schedule for his age? Was I socializing him enough? Take Quiz 5 here.

My second guessing continued into toddler-hood. Was I disciplining him properly? Was I handling treats in a manner which promoted healthy eating? Did I have him enrolled in enough classes for him to try new things without overwhelming him? Take Quiz 5 here.

I didn’t trust a single decision I made. I had an inkling of what would work for our baby in our family, but I felt I needed to research EVERY decision, almost as a means for justification. If things didn’t go exactly as planned then I could refer back to the book for guidance, or better yet, blame the result on the book.

Which brought me to the Parenting Quiz Series. I was trying to make a point to myself: there is no clear cut, correct answer for all children, all situations, all of the time. It sounds obvious, but it is all too easy, especially as a new parent, to get lost in the pages of books, or the chit chat at the moms groups, or the parenting fads, or the latest buzzword. With older toddlers (I have 2 and 3 year old now) I stopped researching every single decision. Instead, I learned to trust my nature. I put my parenting books away.

We all have an instinctual knowledge on how to to care for our child. Throw in unconditional love and some patience (and a few nights sleep) and I suspect they will do just fine.

Naomi Maharaj is mom to two boys, ages 2 and 3. She started the blog Laughing Mom when her second son was a few months old as a way to highlight the lighter side of parenting. In the face of sleep deprivation, crying babies and tantruming toddlers she hopes to be able to see, and share, the humor in it all. Naomi occasionally comments on current events or human interest pieces that catch her attention. Connect with Naomi on Facebook.

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