Am I Mom enough?

After seeing all the controversy about this Time Magazine cover months ago it really got me thinking. I was not in the least bit offended by the mom who was nursing her child rather than a baby or toddler. Her kid her business. I was slightly discouraged at the title "Are you mom enough?" What exactly was their intention? Am I mom enough for what?

Then you know I came to the realization I am mom enough.

I am mom enough to handle labs every three months on my 4 year old.
I am mom enough to vaccinate, on schedule.
I am mom enough to openly question my children's doctor when something just doesn't seem right.
I am mom enough to breast feed my oldest until it wasn't helping her grow, the move her to formula so her little body didn't have to fight so hard.
I am mom enough to breast feed my 2nd until SHE decided to quit at 11 1/2  months.
I am mom enough cloth diaper.
I am mom enough to take care of my 3 girls, while my husband serves our country overseas.
I am mom enough to not want to feed my children processed foods.
I am mom enough to say no to Halloween candy.
I am mom enough to say no to petroleum based food dyes.
I am mom enough to be called a progressive hippie and embrace the name.
I am mom enough to homeschool.
I am mom enough to not settle for just any doctor and drive 3 hours to a specialist for my oldest.
I am mom enough to seek support and ask for help when I need it.

Most of all:

I am mom enough to not judge moms who do things differently. I will stand by my fellow moms who formula feed, who use disposable diapers, who don't vaccinate, who let their kids eat candy, and fast food regularly. I am mom enough to stand by my fellow moms and women and support their choices on how they choose to raise their children!

I wish the media, would quit trying to tell us how to raise our children. Every day there is a new study out saying why we should feed them this, or carry them this way, or buy this new toy. I wonder what mom's did before the news. Before all the "research" that was being done. I guess they just swung in the dark, and hoped for the best.  I also think if we strived harder to be the people we want our kids to be, and focus less on who we wanted them to be, or what the media (friends, family, strangers) say they should be, the next generation would have a better shot at a successful, compassionate, constructive life.

So, when you ask this breastfeeding, vaccinating, cloth diapering, limited processed foods, progressive hippie mom if she is mom enough. My answer will be Yes, and so are YOU!

<3