The heart and the head

Eleanor Roosevelt once said, "Do what you feel in your heart to be right - for you'll be criticized anyway."

I have to agree with those words. And I try very hard to live by them.

During those moments of frustration when Miss H and I are not connecting because she's just so pissed off about something that seems absurdly ridiculous to me, and I really just want to toss her screaming, throwing things self into her room until she can "behave", because my head says that is what should be done since so many people raise amazing kids and have implemented this, I try to always let my heart get a say in . Because my heart says to hold her, to talk to her and sing to her, even if this only enrages her more at first, and takes her three times as long to calm down as opposed to just putting her in her room. I want her to know that her feelings are valid. That even while tantruming I love her and I am there for her. That I realize that she is oh-so little and needn't be left alone to deal with such big feelings all on her own.

Granted, I'm not perfect. I don't always react this way.

But still.

I've learned that so much of parenting is a constant battle between your head and your heart. I've always been a very practical, reasonable, and logical individual. Not necessarily when it comes to my babes though.

My head has always said that babies should sleep in their cribs from day one, to help prevent "sleep issues" down the road. My heart has never let me part with my babes during slumber.

My head says a 2 year old does not need to breastfeed. My heart says she does, even if for only emotional needs.

You see, it's an interesting difference in viewpoint that the head and the heart can have. For some, we make all choices, parenting and non, with our head. For others, it's with our heart. And for some it's a mix.

I'm definitely a mixer kind of momma, but any way works. Any way is right.