Mission: Reinforced

The past few days in my Beyond Mommying world have proved very trying.  While I have always hoped for more traffic on the site, I never expected a 1000% increase in one day.  I also would love more comments and interaction from my readers but did not want the large number of highly negative comments I received.  While I love hearing other people’s opinions and will always take the time to look at a situation from a different angle, the intensity of the response to “Our Circumcision Decision” definitely put me through a slew of emotions.  At first I couldn’t understand why so many activists would so viciously attack a mommy blog that averages less than 10 visitors per day.  But in the end, after defending myself, all the drama and stress just led me back to my original vision for Beyond Mommying (see “What It’s All About” for full vision):

 “I <parent> without regret (most of the time) because ultimately what I’m really trying to do is help my children become good people in a world where doing the right thing is often secondary to getting ahead…I don’t hope to get a cult following for what I write but would just like to provide a mostly positive perspective on parenting and life in a world where mommies face constant criticism, competition, and self-doubt.  I in no way intend to preach that motherhood is easy and wonderful all the time but if I can share what I have learned and what has worked for me as a mommy and maybe touch just a few moms and give them each one idea to make their life easier and help them see that being a mom is hard but also the most rewarding, amazing thing you’ll ever do, I’ll be happy.”

I have thus taken the past 24 hours to reaffirm my mission as a parent.  To reclarify what is most important for me to impart onto my children.  My largest hope for my children is that they grow to be confident in their morals and opinions but respectful of others’ opinions.  I hope they can learn to take others’ perspectives (a skill I am personally proud to possess) and can debate without criticizing or demoralizing others.

As I’ve said before, I am not a judger.  I believe in the relevance and importance of every person’s opinion and therefore do take it personally when my opinions, decisions and beliefs are attacked in such a negative, unrespectful way.  This has truly been a case of what doesn’t kill you only makes you stronger.  I will come out of this experience as a better person and more impotently, a better mommy for my children.