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Isn’t it funny how you can be judged so easily as a ‘type’ of mama based on the style you choose to wear?
We attended our first Steiner school playgroup this morning and being of the ‘alternative parenting’ persuasion is almost a prerequisite. In fact that is one of the reasons I chose to send my boys to a Steiner school – so that I could be fairly certain that the friends they made at school had parents who had similar parenting styles and values to our own.
It was possibly a bit of a cop out on my behalf as I really wasn’t sure how I would cope with the school yard goings on at a non-alternative school. I had already experienced the world of other children’s birthday parties and the conflict they caused within me when it came time to the food choices that other parents made for birthday parties. I especially didn’t like the lolly bag part at the end. Being the cruel mother that I am – I have been stealing the lolly bags away from H Boy before he could get his mitts on them and rationing them out. No 3 year old needs THAT much sugar in their system! So in a way by choosing a Steiner school I am taking the easy way out for myself – in the hope that other parents think along the same lines as me 🙂
This morning I wore my standard mum attire to playgroup – Jeans, Ballet Flats, Long Sleeve T-Shirt, Colourful Scarf, and it was cold so I added my puffer vest because it is super warm. Adding the puffer vest automatically puts me into a class of mamas that is decidedly un-hippy.
Don’t get me wrong – I can get my hippy mama on without a problem. I have a wardrobe full of handcrafted skirts and Birkenstocks. I have a Maya Wrap ringsling, and Ergo baby carrier and can hippy it up with the best of them.
But it was cold and I wanted to be warm. The thing is it doesn’t really matter how you dress, whether you shave or don’t shave, wear a bra or not – taking the natural parenting route can really be for ANYONE!
My first priority in winter is staying warm – I live in Canberra – it is freezing at this time of year and yet we still want to be able to take our children outdoors.
I guess it is an example of the old you can’t judge a book by it’s cover theory.
So next time you see a puffer vest in the playground – don’t make assumptions – it might be me!
xx Andj