Tell me I’m not a bad parent
- Thread starter dan54fis
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- new parents teething
@dan54fis You never talk to someone doing hard drugs in their 20’s and they go, “ yeah man I just had a rough childhood “.
“Oh I’m sorry. Were you abused, neglected, abandoned, assaulted…”.
“Nah…too much screen time as a 9 month old”
You’re fine. Adults should eat 3 healthy meals, exercise for an hour, read some intellectually stimulating book for another hour, meditate, write in a journal, and on and on. NOBODY does any of that, they’re lucky if they check one box once a week. Kids are the same, there’s a general blueprint out there, but it doesn’t mean you have to do literally everything all the time. If they’re fed, changed, and healthy you’re doing good
“Oh I’m sorry. Were you abused, neglected, abandoned, assaulted…”.
“Nah…too much screen time as a 9 month old”
You’re fine. Adults should eat 3 healthy meals, exercise for an hour, read some intellectually stimulating book for another hour, meditate, write in a journal, and on and on. NOBODY does any of that, they’re lucky if they check one box once a week. Kids are the same, there’s a general blueprint out there, but it doesn’t mean you have to do literally everything all the time. If they’re fed, changed, and healthy you’re doing good
imbossjoane
New member
@dan54fis My thing is this. If all you are doing is letting them watch the screen day in and day out then sure its bad. But if you are using it to calm them a little bit so you can catch a breather; by all means do it.
Rather have baby deal with a little screen time with Ms Rachel than deal with a stressed parent.
Rather have baby deal with a little screen time with Ms Rachel than deal with a stressed parent.
@imbossjoane So true! Thank you!
alexandrianicholas
New member
@alexandrianicholas There was definitely movement and crying in between but it got us through to bedtime 
trendymom2
New member
israelobbo
New member
allbutnone
New member
@allbutnone That sounds like a lot to handle solo, you’re doing amazing!
@dan54fis I think as baby gets older, I understand the more useful some screen time can really be(yup, I said it!). Especially for things like this.
As baby comes towards the end of infancy and toward toddlerhood, the need doesn’t go away to still cook, use bathroom, or special circumstances like the one you mentioned, OP. But as baby learns to crawl and inevitably walk, it’s not so easy to do these things anymore. I couldn’t just put my daughter in her playpen and rely on the fact that a couple of toys would keep her and her interested while I was trying to vacuum. A little bit of tv time, even if it’s just to give you a rest, realistically isn’t neglect or tragic for a baby. You know what is tragic? When moms guilt themselves over doing their best because it just makes parenting harder.
This shit is hard. Let’s not make it harder on ourselves by telling ourselves we are bad parents when we really aren’t.
As baby comes towards the end of infancy and toward toddlerhood, the need doesn’t go away to still cook, use bathroom, or special circumstances like the one you mentioned, OP. But as baby learns to crawl and inevitably walk, it’s not so easy to do these things anymore. I couldn’t just put my daughter in her playpen and rely on the fact that a couple of toys would keep her and her interested while I was trying to vacuum. A little bit of tv time, even if it’s just to give you a rest, realistically isn’t neglect or tragic for a baby. You know what is tragic? When moms guilt themselves over doing their best because it just makes parenting harder.
This shit is hard. Let’s not make it harder on ourselves by telling ourselves we are bad parents when we really aren’t.
@dan54fis Hey mama, you cuddled him, changed him, bathed him, gave him medicine, and let him have a distraction so he isn’t thinking about the pain. Sounds like an amazing mama to me! 
Plus you got a break so when you come back you are less stressed and able to better address his needs. Keep up the good work!
Plus you got a break so when you come back you are less stressed and able to better address his needs. Keep up the good work!@dan54fis Something we do when we feel lo has had too much screen time but we still need a few minutes to ourselves to get dinner/cleaning/pooping done is play ms Rachel through a blue tooth speaker so she can hear it and dance along but she doesn’t actually get the visuals ….. we first figured this out in the car one night when we were traveling out of state she’s usually extremely quiet /happy/sleeping in the car so it took us surprise and the only thing that helped that night was playing ms Rachel through the car speakers