Welcome to Tush Tales, everyone. Thanks for joining me in the various blog hops. Please take a moment to look around and comment. If you let me know you are here through one of the programs and include your own link, I will follow you back.
Friday, July 30, 2010
Friday, July 23, 2010
Laundry Update
Since my last post on laundry, I had the leaking and wicking issue. From your comments, as well as more research of my own, I decided to switch laundry detergents. I originally chose Tide because I have friends who use it with great success, some sites that said it was fine to use, and it was readily available, so I figured it was a good start. In my case, it wasn't such a great decision, but I'll chalk it up to the learning process.
Tangent: When doing research about anything, you are bound to find people who feel strongly about something and then on the next page someone who disagrees just as strongly - it is no different when researching cloth diapers. I can understand why people feel overwhelmed when they want to start cloth diapering. There is a lot of information out there and it can seem like an impossible task to process it all.
I am now using Rockin' Green. My first order of business was to Rock a Soak. This process gets rid of the detergent buildup Tide may have left behind. I then did a regular wash and have been using it for a couple of weeks now. I'm not having leaking and wicking issues anymore, except for one particular brand of diaper, so I think that's a different issue I need to get to the bottom of.
As I mentioned in my side note, research will give you many options, and there are some people who do not recommend the Rock a Soak method. Apparently PUL deteriorates from soaking. Although I didn't read that bit until after I did it, I think my diapers will be fine. I don't plan on soaking them regularly and one soak did the trick at this point. If I feel I need to do it again I will look into a basic stripping, rather than the soak. And just on a side note, I love the handy-dandy laundry scoop I bought along with my Rockin' Green - I don't have to find the perfect scoop, and it's magnetic so it's always right there, stuck to my washing machine.
Problem Solved.
Tangent: When doing research about anything, you are bound to find people who feel strongly about something and then on the next page someone who disagrees just as strongly - it is no different when researching cloth diapers. I can understand why people feel overwhelmed when they want to start cloth diapering. There is a lot of information out there and it can seem like an impossible task to process it all.
I am now using Rockin' Green. My first order of business was to Rock a Soak. This process gets rid of the detergent buildup Tide may have left behind. I then did a regular wash and have been using it for a couple of weeks now. I'm not having leaking and wicking issues anymore, except for one particular brand of diaper, so I think that's a different issue I need to get to the bottom of.
As I mentioned in my side note, research will give you many options, and there are some people who do not recommend the Rock a Soak method. Apparently PUL deteriorates from soaking. Although I didn't read that bit until after I did it, I think my diapers will be fine. I don't plan on soaking them regularly and one soak did the trick at this point. If I feel I need to do it again I will look into a basic stripping, rather than the soak. And just on a side note, I love the handy-dandy laundry scoop I bought along with my Rockin' Green - I don't have to find the perfect scoop, and it's magnetic so it's always right there, stuck to my washing machine.
Problem Solved.
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
My thoughts on The Mommy Wars
/Steps on soapbox
I've always known about The Mommy Wars - that back-and-forth among mommies, whose way is better, what you "should" be doing, etc. Now that I am a Mommy myself, I, of course, see it even more. It's on the forums, in the blog posts, on Facebook, and Twitter. I have two words for all of us. Stop It!
What happened to agreeing to disagree? Who ever said there was only one way to be a parent? This past year, at work, I've often found myself saying, "There are many right ways. We are choosing this particular right way." I have now taken on that mantra for parenting.
There are many right ways to parent. My way is not the only right way. And your way is not wrong. We all struggle with making the best decisions for our little ones and I firmly believe we will be better parents, and people, if we stop accusing other people of doing something wrong and instead concentrate on what we can do right.
I think I see it a lot because I am an advocate of two things that bring up hot feelings among mommies: Breastfeeding and Cloth Diapering. I believe we can advocate for those things that we believe in without belittling other women. I'm not going to stop telling people about the benefits of breastfeeding, for both mommy and baby, but I will not condemn you for not breastfeeding. I do believe cloth diapers are better for the environment, my baby, and my wallet, and I will be happy to tell you about it, but I do not think you are harming your child if you do not use cloth diapers.
So I ask the same kindness in return. If you truly believe what you are doing is right, there is no need for defensiveness, only knowledge-sharing.
I am not perfect. I know that I am sometimes quick to judge, but I continue to work on that because I truly believe we are all better off when we accept each other, rather than attack each other.
I know this sounds rosy-eyed, but if each of us chooses to accept that there is more than one right way, don't you think we can begin to end The Mommy Wars?
/steps off soapbox
I've always known about The Mommy Wars - that back-and-forth among mommies, whose way is better, what you "should" be doing, etc. Now that I am a Mommy myself, I, of course, see it even more. It's on the forums, in the blog posts, on Facebook, and Twitter. I have two words for all of us. Stop It!
What happened to agreeing to disagree? Who ever said there was only one way to be a parent? This past year, at work, I've often found myself saying, "There are many right ways. We are choosing this particular right way." I have now taken on that mantra for parenting.
There are many right ways to parent. My way is not the only right way. And your way is not wrong. We all struggle with making the best decisions for our little ones and I firmly believe we will be better parents, and people, if we stop accusing other people of doing something wrong and instead concentrate on what we can do right.
I think I see it a lot because I am an advocate of two things that bring up hot feelings among mommies: Breastfeeding and Cloth Diapering. I believe we can advocate for those things that we believe in without belittling other women. I'm not going to stop telling people about the benefits of breastfeeding, for both mommy and baby, but I will not condemn you for not breastfeeding. I do believe cloth diapers are better for the environment, my baby, and my wallet, and I will be happy to tell you about it, but I do not think you are harming your child if you do not use cloth diapers.
So I ask the same kindness in return. If you truly believe what you are doing is right, there is no need for defensiveness, only knowledge-sharing.
I am not perfect. I know that I am sometimes quick to judge, but I continue to work on that because I truly believe we are all better off when we accept each other, rather than attack each other.
I know this sounds rosy-eyed, but if each of us chooses to accept that there is more than one right way, don't you think we can begin to end The Mommy Wars?
/steps off soapbox
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