The first slap came from Anonymous…
“…You need to let your son be cared for by others so that he learns many different ways to be soothed, not just your special way. If you don't, your anxiety is going to be sky-high when you aren't taking care of him full-time anymore. You need to see that he is ok with other people caring for him... THEIR way. Also, please think about the way your actions are affecting your husband. You are essentially telling him that he isn't being a good father. And you aren't allowing your son to bond with dad in their own special way.”
Then Kitten…
“…Other people will have to take care of him and they will need to have learned how to do so. If you're always the one to settle him, you'll be the only one ABLE to settle him and then what happens when you need your mother to baby-sit one night while you and your husband have dinner together? He'll flip out...”
And dear Kiwi Mum…
“I found that if I asked dad to show me something he did well, then I could work the conversation around to something that I did well for bubs that maybe he could try next time, without insulting or offending him.
That's just my 2 cents anyways :-) Being a mum is hard work - who would have thought that not being super mum would be the hardest part!”
Thank you all so much for helping me to realize that my high horse attitude of I can do it better than anyone else was wrong and well kind of pure narcissistic crap-ola!
I have learned three important things from each one of you that will no doubt make my life and that of my family SO much better!
- My husband does deserve to feel like a good dad and find his own way, which may possibly be better than mine in some ways. (SO hard to imagine but whatever… What? I already admitted to being a shithead!) He is a great dad and the very last thing I want to do is make him feel like he is not.
- My mother, family and friends want to care for Ollie and the time will come when I will desperately need them to as well. If I don’t let them sort him out now it will be MUCH harder when he older he gets. And again, they may/probably will teach me a thing or two.
3. I also need to back up myself! I do need time to myself, anxiety free. I will never achieve that if I don’t learn to trust other people with my son. It’s hard now because he is so new and shiny and fun to play with and cuddle! I don’t want to share and I do enjoy feeling like “Super mum!” but not at the expense of Ollie’s ultimate happiness and sense of security.
From this day forward I promise to share my son, lighten up, get off my “Super mum” high horse and most of all. Let Go and Let… family and friends!
