Message boards and mummy wars
Following on from Frumpy Gibbon's Musing on the Messageboards I have been inspired to wean myself off certain message boards that only serve to frustrate and annoy me. Haven't weaned myself off message boards altogether but found a couple that are much more positive and productive where I don't feel like I have to pretend to be something/someone I am not. I often feel the need to do this on parenting boards particularly - especially a certain Australian one with somewhat of a 'mob rules' and 'cut down the tall poppy' flavour to it.
I do still enjoy one parenting board I belong to despite the huge variation in beliefs and life experiences between myself and some of the other members. We originally formed as a 'breakaway sect' from a larger US-based parenting board where arguments would break out over things like 'Attachment Parenting' and the 'Babywise' (these are terms for two diametrically opposed philosophies of parenting), extended breastfeeding, spanking etc etc. There was one famous argument which I now call The Great Happy Meal Standoff where a boardmember posted a photo of all the McDonalds Happy Meal toys she had accummulated and planned to sell at a yard sale. Someone else (with no older children, only babies) immediately got on her case about accumulating so many of these things as it must only mean one thing, ie, that she was feeding her children TOO MUCH McDONALDS and thereby neglecting their nutritional well-being!!! It seems these kind of 'blood fights' are nothing new. The UK's Daily Mail even has a term for them: Mummy Wars
Despite the differences in beliefs in those who belong to this 'breakaway sect' of parents, I think the main thing we have in common is a certain 'live and let live' approach to things and an unspoken understanding that we won't bring someone else down just because we don't agree with them. This is probably the common feature of all the boards I enjoy being part of these days.
Comments
Good for you mum. You don't need other parents telling you how to raise your kids anyways!
Happy Meals are gross but I buy them for my daughter as well and with a pregnant wife's cravings,it seems more often lately. However, they are looked at as a treat, not a common meal in our home. Your doing great I'm sure. Keep up the good work!