We're pretty good parents, DH and I. I'm not saying that to be cocky or self-important - we have much, MUCH to learn. But I do know one thing for sure - I am certain we're the best parents for Garcon.
We're both hard workers and achievers, but we sit down, relax and play with Garcon as often as we can. We provide eye-to-eye play and help him discover new things, like textures and sounds. We also work to provide learning opportunities without overstimulation. No matter what we bring home, his favorite toys are the ones on the bottom of the kitchen island - tupperware, mini frypans, a measuring cup. In that regard, we're pretty low-tech. I'm confident he'll learn through life experiences and through the opportunities to explore that we provide. And I'm not too aggressive about it - if he's supposed to walk at a year, talk at 15 months, he will. It's going to happen a certain way, I'll encourage development, but I'm not going to shove it down his throat. So when I read about Alpha Mom and the Alpha Mom TV network, I was pretty astonished.
Here is a woman who seems to view having a child as a checkbox to mark off, quite literally, as she says, a "job to do."
I accept that there are people who come to caring for a child more naturally than others. I have a cousin who is truly a magnificent caregiver. She has gravitated to caring for kids since she was old enough to babysit - and has been a sought-after nanny and now is studying to work with children in a hospital setting. Kids gravitate to her in return. She is really, really good at what she does. She has a special gift.
There are other people who seem to struggle with relating to a child, like the woman in the article. I think she's having a difficult time in knowing what to do. She lacks confidence that could be gained by relating and listening to her child. And as I stated above, I don't know much about parenting but trial and error to find what works for my Garcon. So I wonder what would happen if the woman in the article spent time absorbed in her son? If instead of researching the best ways to mother, she used her research time to watch her child and respond to his needs?
