I'm Left Brained, But Don't Hold That Against Me

You lovely, lovely moms out there. I know you are doing the best you can. I know you had long hours today. I know you are making the best decisions for you and your children.

So you know all that preachy-ness out there? Let's just ignore it.

If you decide to immunize your child, then do it! While some people, on rare occasions, have bad reactions to a single shot, most do not. If you decide not to immunize your child, then don't! We don't care so much. In either case, promise you will keep your child home when he or she is sick. Please please please.

If you want to own guns and are a member of the NRA, fabulous. If you are completely anti-gun and want heavier restrictions on guns, also fabulous. You already know my sentiment about this. If you are trying to convince me to join your side, be rational about it. Don't swear at me in your posts. Don't tell me not to tell my kids that guns are extremely dangerous. Don't compare guns to cars, because they are not the same. Cars were created to drive, not kill people. Guns were made specifically for warfare. There is a huge difference. When you come to me about making it as difficult to get a gun as it is to get a driver's license, we'll talk.

If you are a Left-wing socialist, I think that's awesome. If you are an extreme-Right conservative, more power to you. But I am not interested in any extremism. If you aren't either, then are you like me? Are you tired of people shouting and screaming, but not talking? Nobody is getting anything done. Too much hatred. Too much anger. I don't need that, and neither do my kids. Kids need to be taught to talk and listen.

If you've gone Green, I love it. If not, that's okay too. I do believe in protecting this earth. But I'm not going to drive my used glass 45 miles away to recycle it. I would also never throw a plastic bag into a fire. I teach my kids to recycle my plastic, paper, and metal, I carpool, and I use both side of the paper while printing. But I don't eco-everything and I too-much-loved disposable diapers when I had babies.

If you are christian, that's great! So am I. If you are Hindu? Also wonderful. Buddhist? Jewish? Catholic? Orthodox? Earth worshiper? I think it's so wonderful that so many people are trying to do good in the world. We need more of this! But if we are hating on each other because of our religion, than we are subverting much of the good we're trying to do. Believing in a higher power is what's supposed to drive us to love each other, regardless of our faults or mistakes. This is an area where we can learn from our youngest children. They don't go around school asking what religion everyone is. That is far from their thought process.

I think you understand what I'm getting at. There is a time and a place to stand for what you believe in, and even to the extreme if that's your goal. But I don't really care so much for a Facebook feed cluttered with a million contrasting opinions. I will love you no matter what. And I think it's important to say something. But just say it, and get on with your life. Tell me about something else that's going on. Is motherhood hard? Is your child getting married? Tell me about it.

Leave the mocking, shouting words at home.