What doesn't kill you...

So apparently, the AAP is now recommending that kids stay rear facing until age 2 and basically in some type of booster seat car seat until age 12.  I have some thoughts about this but what really chaps me are the discussions going on between mothers regarding this issue.  Because that's just what I need, another reason for other Mommies to judge me.

For some reason (I think it was to comment on something about adoption), I "like" Today Show Moms on Facebook.  Today's topic of discussion between strangers is the new AAP car seat recommendations.  I kid you not, there are women on there using exclamation points and ALL CAPS saying to other Moms "well you must not be concerned about your child's safety," or "YOU ARE AN UNSAFE PARENT BECAUSE YOU CARE MORE ABOUT COMFORT THAN SAFETY."  One Mom pointed out that her toddler was too big for rear facing in weight and another Mom commented that she should put her toddler on a diet.  Another Mom was bragging about how she kept her son rear facing until he was in Kindergarten and she plans on having him in the backseat in a booster until he takes Driver's Ed.  I imagine she'll enjoy her son's honeymoon as well.  Let's all commit to pray for her future daughter-in-law starting now. 

As for me, Gracie is forward facing.  And she'll remain forward facing until the law in Virginia changes. I don't feel bad about this. If you want to keep your kid rear-facing until 2, that's cool. I think if this recommendation had been passed down prior to us switching her at a year, we might've gone with it.  But probably not as her being on the passenger side was a pain.  And a pain for me when I rode shotgun because I had to eat my knees while riding to accommodate the giant Britax Marathon.  Gracie hates riding in the car unless she can see someone.  I'm pretty certain it is more dangerous for her to be driven around by someone who has gone insane because of her yelling than it is for her to be sitting forward.  In addition, the majority of car seats even sold in the US aren't road or crash tested, and when they have been tested by Consumer Reports, most of your run of the mill Gracos and Evenflos are crap.   So while I don't place comfort higher than safety on my list of priorities, things like cup holders and a cover that washes well were a factor when purchasing both of my kids carseats. Also, to be clear, it's difficult for me to feed her by simply throwing chicken nuggets and french fries at her if she is rear facing. 

So go ahead and judge.  To give you more ammunition here is a list of other AAP recommendations I readily disregard...

*Neither of my kids were breastfed until age 1.  Not even until two months.  So suck it.  (Or, in this case, don't suck it.)

*Peanut butter.  Gracie loves it.  She'd like to be bathed in it if at all possible.  (Wouldn't we all?)

*Grapes.  Neither of my kids will eat them if they are cut up.  Because, and I quote, "They are icky and slimy."  I used to send them cut up in Henry's lunch box for school, in order to comply with the school's "quarters only!" rule, but each week the baggie of mushy grape pieces came back untouched.  So now I just send apples.  Which both of my children eat whole.

*Both of my kids watched TV before age 2.  In fact, they're watching TV right now. 

*Both of my kids have slept in my bed.  And as soon as they could roll over, both have been allowed to sleep on their stomach.  (Was I supposed to just hover all night long and roll them like they were hot dogs on a grill?) They also have large quantities of blankets, books, pillows, and stuffed animals and the like in their bed.  

*Both of my kids have been given cold medicine.  Because both of my kids like to breathe.  Here's the issue with cold medicine and other "parents are stupid" type product recalls.  Lawyers came up with this.  Because parents were not following dosage instructions properly.  And if you're not drawing up your cough medicine in a labeled syringe, it IS relatively easy to give your kid 10mL of something rather than 5mL.  And that's a big overdose.  Also, it is not the Bumbo seat's fault if you stick your kid in the seat, put them on the dining room table, then go take a nap.  And I really am pretty sure that sticking a sticker on the Bumbo that reads "Do not leave your child unattended" doesn't make the seat any more or less safe.  It's a chair; not a babysitter.  If you need a babysitter, might I suggest letting your kid watch some TV?

*I used candy as a motivator to potty train Henry.  And now we're using tattoos and "poopy presents" to curtail his poop in the night time pull up habit.  And unless my Pediatrician wants to come over and change his poopy pull-ups, he'll just have to get over it.  The NP at my office suggested telling Henry that he needed to sit on the potty and poop "Because it feels so good and it will relax you."  .......RIIIIIIGHT.

* Neither of my kids have a monitor in their room.  I own a monitor and when they were infants we used it.  We also used it when we transitioned Henry to a big bed we used it.  But I really don't want to hear their every word, gasp, breathe, snort, or sob in the middle of the night.  If they need me, they'll either come and get me or just yell for me.  Our bedrooms are all on the same floor.  I suppose if I had a 1st floor master and they were upstairs, that might change, but I'm not completely certain. 

*Henry uses toothpaste with fluoride.  Because he doesn't want cavities.  Yeah, I know.  You've been told it's poison and can make your baby green and kill them.  My kid's dentist, who just happens to be my Dad, assures me that unless I allow Henry to eat an entire tube of toothpaste, he'll be fine.  And even then, he'll probably just puke and get diarhea.  So if I'm not paying attention to my son for the hour or so it would take him to unscrew the cap, squeeze out and ingest an entire tube of Crest, an episode of poop soup is probably the best I can hope for.

I get that the well meaning Doctor's and their even more well-meaning Attornies are simply reacting to the overly-litigious well meaning parent.  The parent who wants to protect at all costs.  To control tomorrow at all costs.  And I'm not saying be cavalier with your kid, but folks, you just can't protect your kids from everything.  In fact, if your kid doesn't learn at 3 that falling off a bike hurts and bloodies your knee, I worry about your kid when he gets his Driver's liscense.  And if you want to teach your kid to shoot for the stars, there is no better place for them to learn than from the upper limbs of a tree.  Yes, they might break an arm or leg.  But the finer things in life all come at great risk.  My job as a mom is to prepare my children to be great man and woman.  Greatness requires bravery.  And a little bit of stupidity. 

Bumps, scrapes, burns, casts, scars--the marks of a childhood well lived.