I Am Not an Attachment, Permissive, or Authoritative Parent

I am just me.

I became a mom 12 years ago. I was young. I had ideas of how I wanted my children raised but had no one really guiding me.

I just let my heart lead. I took in what I saw, what I was raised with, and what I read. I took it all in. I let it soak. I talked to my pediatrician. I talked to my husband.

And I let my heart lead. I did not care about what others thought. I listened to my heart.

I did not bother with what the others were doing with their kids. I tried hard not to compare my parenting to any others.

And I let my heart lead.

Twelve years of raising children and my heart is still leading. Oh sure, I have made mistakes. I have kept learning and growing over these years. And still, I let my heart lead. It has changed over time, the way I parent. My skills have grown and my desires have changed.

I still let my heart lead the way. And I follow it.

My way of parenting cannot be branded in a book. It cannot be duplicated. It cannot be taught. It is just my heart telling me where to go, how to do it, what I want in the end.

I nurse my babies because my heart says that is right for us. I co-sleep because my heart says that is what works for us. I choose to wear my baby in a sling/moby wrap because my heart says keep him close. I don't let my babies cry because my heart says that is not for us.

I choose to discipline in all different ways to ensure my children are learning wrong from right. I want my children to be heard and I listen to their tiny voices. My heart tells me to.

I do not allow my children to get whatever they want and I have strict rules they must abide by. My heart tells me the boundaries need to be set.

My heart leads me to parent my children based on our needs, not what some book or public person or friend or relative say. And you know what, so should everyone else.

Because not everyone is the same. Not every child learns the same way. Not every parent has the same desires and amount of patience. And you know what? That is okay!

It is okay to let your heart lead.