So I'm reading a book, a parenting book. The author's premise is that we are nervous mothers as a rule because of modern psychology. It is an interesting read, John Rosemond's A Family of Value.
But that isn't what I want to start here (a debate about child-rearing, don't think so). My question for this Tuesday is. . . (drum roll)
Do you think we (as women with vast informational resources at our very finger tips) think too much about our lives?
It is something Rosemond brings up. That essentially our lives are made more difficult by the amount of expert-written material we have available because it makes us think too much about what we are doing. Thereby making us all wonder constantly if we are good wives and good mothers and good neighbors and, well, the list goes on.
What is your take?
Information has been both good and bad for me. Having knowledge at my fingertips helped me work though some breastfeeding struggles when I would have had no other human or instinctual resources (I thought babies were born and ate baby food immediately until I was pregnant!! Insert embarrassed look here)
ReplyDeleteBut at the same time, my introspective and self questioning self has also been haunted by this accessibility. I have found myself questioning every choice I make often because of conflicting advice I've read. (Cry it out? Don't cry it out? Spanking? Time out? Homeschool? Brick and Mortar school? Ahhhhhhhh!!!!!)
Overall, I find that my lack of example by my parents has been greatly helped by all of the info available to us now. This is especially true because we seem to not have as many experienced people to check in with now that everyone is so "busy".
Good question!
LOL! I realize I didn't quite answer the question as it was asked. YES! We think too much about our lives and spend too little time focusing on Jesus! And just "living"
ReplyDeleteThat is OK. I just realized I asked two questions.
ReplyDeleteI am a questioner by nature. I have a father who as my husband says "Doesn't get up wondering what he is going to do today but wondering why he is going to do what he is going to do." I figure I come by it naturally.
But, yes, I too think I think too much always analyzing whether my decision was right rather than did it work and are we better for it.
And that isn't to say that having information when we need it isn't important. It is just sometimes the amount and the ability I have to get sucked in to information I don't need that messes with my head.
I guess it is all about discernment and self-restraint. Two things I'm not always so good at.
Good question! I agree, Wendy. Accessible information has been a life saver! But it has also caused me to question my gut and wonder if my "mothers intuition" is right.
ReplyDeleteI think alot of mom's think to much. I however am not one of them. I don't wake up wondering what or why I am doing anything today. I wake up and wonder "waffles or cereal". I'm not a thinker. But that helps me to handle my children and our messy lives. We take it one step at time. Don't get me wrong. I do like to know what's going on. (My 8 month old does not have 1 tooth yet! Is that normal? Turns out it is.) It's hard to find a balance. Women have been conditioned to not trust their gut, but rather research and take the advice from a male dr with no children because he wrote a book about something or other. All this to say information's great, but they raised children for centuries before google and everybody turned out just fine. Stop thinking and live! =)
they raised children for centuries before google and everybody turned out just fine
ReplyDeleteI love it Amanda!
I KNOW that all those great books out there have messed with my mind at times! This author says you need to do this and another one says you must do this...I have enough natural mom guilt without taking on others' expectations, opinions and great ideas. Some of these authors just don't seem to live in the real world as far as I can see it! You're right, Wendy! We need to spend more time focusing on Jesus and reading His instruction book. The Holy Spirit can prompt us about our childrens' needs and show us any blind spots we have. I do like John Rosemond because he debunks a lot of the modern ways of doing things and makes you think about how unbalanced parenting has become in this generation. I will never stop reading, but I think I'm getting better at not letting it put more pressure on me!
ReplyDelete