I think we all at some point along our parenting journey, have wished for ways to take the easy way out. Perhaps we just wanted to save some time, money, hassle or even spare ourselves from having to listen to one more meltdown. Regardless of the objective, it seems that one particular style of parenting has found a few short cuts:
Attachment Parenting is what I lovingly at times refer to as “lazy parenting”.
Attachment Parenting is “Lazy Parenting”
- Rear facing the car seat for longer than a year, because who really wants to move that darn thing once it has been properly installed?
- Homeschooling, only to avoid the carline at school drop off and pick up!
- Breastfeed to lose the baby weight, let’s face it – exercise is the last thing we want to do!
- Home birth, just to avoid hospital food!
- Baby wear, because pushing a stroller makes us sweat!
- Cloth diaper, because who wants to go to Walmart for diapers?
- Natural labor to reduce medical expenses!
- Intuitive parenting because we don’t want to read parenting books!
- Co-sleep, because who on Earth wants to get out of bed in the middle of the night?
- Not circumcise, because no one wants to look at a bloody penis!
- Baby-led weaning, because pureed food makes a mess!
- Not vaccinate, because who wants to spend money on a doctor’s appointment?
- No plastic toys, because who really wants to put together a 1,200 piece Lego fire station?
- Breastfeed because a diaper bag full of bottles is so heavy!
- Amber teething necklaces, because who wants to give Tylenol every four hours?
- Comfort nurse, because who wants to look for a pacifier at 3:00am?
- Breastfeed, so you can enjoy having big boobs without getting a boob job!!!!
- Eat your own placenta to reduce medical waste!
- No TV, because no one enjoys watching Peppa Pig and Dora over and over again!
- Not vaccinate, because who wants to expose their kids to the germs at the pediatrician’s office?
- Breastfeed, because who wants to spend money on formula?
- Co-sleep, because it helps you avoid this problem again, (wink wink)!
- Intuitive parenting, because who wants to take advice from their relatives?
WHAT did she just say?!
And that is what I love about parenting, it is not a “one size fits all” concept. We all make choices based on what will best fit our family’s dynamics. When we started having kids, our parenting style didn’t have a name, so I lovingly called it “lazy parenting”, but apparently many of the aspects of our parenting falls under the grand umbrella of “attachment parenting” – personally I prefer to call it “intuitive parenting” – regardless of the name, it is what works for us.
But I think when parents can call their style “lazy parenting” that’s when they are doing it right for their family. Parenting is hard enough as it is, so the choices you make should feel easy, feel good and come straight from the heart – like something you were meant to do all along!
LOL! #17 and #22…you got it perfectly right!!!!
Ha ha ha – thank you! 🙂
Lazy parenting to me is not coming through with promised discipline. That is why they ignore your threats!
Lazy parenting to me is not giving your kids chores and make sure they do them so they can feel a part of the household.
Lazy parenting to me is not giving children structure so they can feel safe.
Lazy parenting to me is lying to them about the small stuff. How will they ever trust you on the important stuff?
Lazy parenting to me is not modelling to your child how to be a compassionate and caring human being.
Lazy parenting to me is not teaching your child manners because that would interfere with their “creativity”,
Lazy parenting to me is not allowing your child to be responsible for their actions.
You make some great points. Kids do thrive on structure and consistency. Thank you so much for your comment – I agree.
Wow, not vaccinating has nothing to do with being an attachment parent and I’m so sick of being lumped in with that particular group.
I would find that annoying, too. I know plenty of people who subscribe to at least some aspects of attachment parenting and know the importance of vaccinations.
Yah, she lost me at “not vaccinate” as well. That just screams ignorance IMHO, and I’d rather not be lumped in with her ilk either.
By not vaccinating you’re putting everyone at risk of serious, and even fatal illness. We’re protected through herd immunity which is why diseases that were nearly eradicated are making a comeback. Children who are too young or too sick to be immunized and protected from these illnesses are at risk. You’re not just making the choice for your child, but any child at risk around you wherever you go.
I am 100% FOR vaccines – all of our kids are vaccinated and I agree with all your points! Thanks for sharing this important message.
Well I saw the title of this post and I had to read it. I feel so relieved I am not the only one. I never would have thought I would home school yet here I am, the teacher. I have so many choices I have made that were not in my original parenting plan. Ya just never know.
(23 Reasons why Attachment Parenting is “Lazy Parenting”!) Wow! How funny, you nailed it right on the head with a few of these. I’m sure a lot of parents can re-late to many of these.
Thank you! I wasn’t sure how it would be received when I wrote it – but it’s been all positive so far!
I read this because I got all defensive just reading the title. In reality it’s well written and very funny! I guess I didn’t realize my parenting had a name, but I do a lot of the above list. Extended breast feeding, cloth diapering, baby wearing (sometimes), no vaccinating, no circumcising, baby led weaning, natural childbirth… It’s not for everyone but it’s working great for us!
Thank you! 🙂 I also didn’t realize that it had a name – ha ha – little did we know that we are cool! LOL
LOL…I love #2, we are expecting our first and I knew before we ever got pregnant that my goal is to home school. I live 1 mile from two schools and get caught in the “dismissal” traffic often. And I’ve actually had the thought “think of all the hours I’ll save of sitting in carpool”, of course I’ll be spending even more hours teaching and planning lessons 😉 And everything you listed is definitely a benefit of natural parenting. Also love the cloth diapering and breast feeding reasons…I hope/plan to do both of those as well.
Good luck with baby # 2! We are finally cloth diapering baby # 4 – and I love it – it’s so easy and the diapers are so cute. Breastfeeding has thankfully also been easy for me – I know that’s not the case of everyone, but I feel blessed – and I have no intentions of stopping nursing our last baby until he off and married! HA HA HA – just kidding – really, I am kidding! 🙂
This is AWESOME!!!
Great points! I’m also planning on using natural childbirth when I have kids because who wants to deal with needles? Not me! Especially because I have an extreme fear of them.
Ugh, I just realized that that was a pun and there’s no way to edit this post. Lol
Guilty!
LOL! Hope this goes viral just be prepared for the backlash!!!
This is great! “Lazy” is usually negative, but in this case you’re just pointing out the benefits of something I’m sure most parents are intentional about. I couldn’t be happier about some of them (the breastfeeding, for example). But I don’t agree with all your points either, of course.
This is so funny! I, too, got a little defensive when I came across this on Pinterest. I opened it thinking someone was going to be calling me lazy! Haha! Thanks for a good giggle this morning! 🙂
I am SO glad you “got it” – too many people just read the title and then get grumpy with me! 🙂 LOL
I agree with almost all of these, I tell my friends how lazy breastfeeding and cloth diapering is. I do vaccinate though. And baby wearing certainly makes me more sweaty than pushing a stroller, but at least my hands are free and my baby is close.
Happened upon your facebook page today because of the giveaway… Honestly, I just thought I’d pop over and find an article so that I could get an extra entry. Well, the first entry I came across was the one about getting rid of the pacifier which is going to be valuable info in my not too distant future, then there was one about controlling my shopping addiction, and now this one for the win! Anyone who has the guts to say anything that is not in support of the general populations view on vaccines is a hero in my book. You may have even lost some followers because of it, but also gained one. Kuddos to you and I will now be following closely on FB 🙂
Thank you for finding me – I look forward to having you here!
Are you a stay at home mom?
I worked full time when I wrote this. Now I am at home with the kids.
I LOVE this! Thank you!
I call that being selfish and maybe you shouldn’t have children!
Exactly, feel like some points here are really negative and have nothing to do with attachment parenting ie what pretty much every other mammal species does without the need to justify it or explain it in such detail . Also, what’s with breastfeeding because you don’t want to carry bottles, is that really why a mother should give her child the absolute best , necessary and vastly superior nutrition to her baby? Or homeschooling, really the most extreme and controversial teaching method belongs with the most basic child rearing ? Not sure if the article was trying to be funny or sarcastic but a lot of this should be basic parenting , not just a ” style” . I find it so sad that it appears that the norm now is sleep training, bottle feeding, sleeping in separate rooms , packaged baby food daily etc etc. So very sad.