So I stumbled upon this YouTube video called Sh*t Crunchy Mamas Say. I watched it thinking it didn’t apply to me. Like at all. Me? Crunchy? Umm…no. I shave my legs everyday. Even in the winter. I’m not kidding.
But then I saw more than one thing that applied to me. Definitely not everything, but enough to make me question if I was, in fact, a crunchy mama.
So what did I do next? I googled “What is a crunchy mama?” Surely Google would help me sort out this identity crisis. That search led me to a quiz, “How crunchy are you?”
Did any of you flip right to the quiz section of your Seventeen magazine to find out once and for all What Your Personal Style Says About You? Yeah, me, too. I was all over this quiz. The highest score you could get was “crunchier than grape nuts” and the lowest score was “jello.”
Turns out I’m “pretty crispy!” Yep. Right in the middle. Sorta crunchy. Here’s why my crunch factor is somewhat stale.
#1: I don’t use cloth diapers. In fact, I can’t even imagine laundering my sweet baby’s not-so-sweetly stained nappies. I do, however, use diapers from the Honest Company. The diapers are all-natural, chemical-free, plant-based, and made with “non-toxic, sustainably harvested, chlorine-free pulp.”
#2. I didn’t have a home birth. I was all for letting someone else clean up the mess and going home to my clean house as soon as possible afterwards. Not to mention having the appropriate medical interventions ready if anything went wrong. I did have a natural, drug-free birth with Luke, though.
#3. I don’t wear my babies. With Meghan I had a hand-me-down Baby Bjorn that killed my back after five minutes of wearing it, and she was a small baby. I heard great things about the Ergo, so I got one of those for Luke. He hated it. I never tried a sling or moby wrap or any of those other contraptions. I was okay either holding my baby or letting them chill on a blanket/bouncy seat/swing. Wearing a baby all day just didn’t seem necessary for me. And I don’t know about all of you, but I’m kind of down with strollers. I like ’em and so do my kids.
#4. My kids sleep in their own crib and bed. Tim and I have actually yet to share our bed with our kids for even one night. To each their own with the co-sleeping thing, but I just couldn’t do it. When the babies were so tiny, I worried I’d squish them. (Okay, Luke was never tiny, but you get my point.) Now that they are older, I know I’d never be able to sleep well. I’m always kicking Tim off of my side of our king-sized bed as it is. I can’t imagine another body (or two!) in there with us.
#5. I don’t do child-led weaning. I’m talking about breastfeeding here, not the introduction of solid foods. Two different things, similar name. While I did breastfeed Meghan until two and hope to do the same with Luke, I initiated the weaning process with Meghan and expect I’ll have to do the same with Luke. I feel like in both cases I could easily be breastfeeding them until 3 or even 4 if I let them lead the weaning process. They love their mama milk! I don’t see myself breastfeeding that long and two years feels like a good compromise.
#6. I read and tried to apply Babywise. Gasp! If you are a true crunchy mama, you are probably cringing right now and wondering how Luke could possibly be in the 99th percentile for both weight and height if I have him on a schedule. For me, however, having a routine is sanity-saving and I can’t imagine doing the sleep and eating part of parenting any differently. If you’ve read along any of my baby updates, however, you do know Luke didn’t sleep through the night early. Or hardly at all in his first year of life. He still doesn’t consistently. I fail at Babywise in not being able to let him cry it out in the middle of the night. He is a breeze to put down to sleep, though, and naps like a champ and I thank some of the Babywise principles I used for that.
#7. I really like shoes. I attempted to count them for this post, and then I stopped when I realized the number was absurdly embarrassing. None of the too-many pairs are Birkenstocks, either. I do like to walk barefoot in the summer time. But then I have to immediately wash my feet because having dirty feet gives me the heevy-geevies.
#8. I don’t breastfeed in public. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with breastfeeding in public. In fact, I kind of envy the mamas who do this. What freedom! You can be on the go and just get the feeding thing done with. I have tried it a few times, and I felt so totally awkward and think I blushed the whole time. My logical mind knows that everyone isn’t staring at me, but that’s how it feels.
#9. We vaccinate on schedule. I know this one is really controversial, but I felt like it was right for our family based on the research we did. We opt out of the flu vaccine, but other than that we get them per the doctor’s schedule.
#10. I wash my hair, use deodorant, wear make-up (pretty much everyday) and shave (a lot). I love apple cider vinegar, but don’t use it on my hair. I do use natural products, but can’t give them up entirely. And I mentioned the shaving thing in my introduction. Yeah, I don’t like hair on my legs or under my arms. Kind of like dirty feet, it gives me the heevy-geevies.
When it comes right down to it, I think labeling parenting (or lifestyles) is kind of silly anyway. We are all just trying to do our best for our children based on what we know. I thought it was fun to explore what a crunchy mama is, though, and I was surprised that I fit the description more than I realized.
What about you? Where do you fit in on the crunchy scale? Totally crunchy or more like Jello?
Oh these made me laugh! I’m just sorta crispy too…moderation in all things!
(not to mention keeping your sanity in the chaos of motherhood.)
Haha… I had no idea that I was so crunchy! I tend to do all 10 of the things you listed. Not all the time, not exclusively, just because they seem best for me and my family.
I love your attitude about it! Some people get so preachy about it–but really we are all just doing what works for our family! 🙂
Loved this as I am one of those mommas, like a prior commentor, who sometimes feels guilty for not being “crunchy enough.” I’m with you on almost all of your non-crunch factors, except we wound up becoming ardent baby-wearers and temporarily begrudging cosleepers just out of necessity to survive a VERY fussy, nursing-dependent, reflux baby. But I’m quite happy now that she’s older, happier and sleeping on her own — everybody in my family sleeps better that way!
I think where I’m crunchiest is food — good, whole foods for my family please — but even there I fail to live up to what a lot of other moms do. It’s all a matter of finding our own balance I guess. Thanks for sharing about the balance you’ve found works for you 🙂
I was just barely in the next category-whole grain crunch. I do a lot of things half way-I cloth diaper when I can (which means 1-2 a day), I do child led weaning-but only up to age 2 (2 of mine weaned well before that-no. 3 baby will be forced weaned in one month when she turns 2), we do not vaccinate at all, and we use natural products, foods, and medicines when we can. However, I would never really consider home schooling unless I had no other choice and I have tried the sleeping with baby thing for all 3 and it sucks! I last about one night then I ship them off to their own beds! I’m glad that I am comfortable where I am at and everyone else is comfortable where they are at.
Loved this! I’m sorta crispy too. We cloth diapered with the boy, but I was home full time so it was doable. It would have sent me over the edge if we tried it with our first, both because she was the first and because I was working and I was generally a mess. 🙂 Yes on exclusive breastfeeding, but only through the first year and a half. Some cosleeping at the beginning, mostly out of necessity so I could nurse them while lying down and then go back to sleep. Man that seems like ages ago. I still lay with my kids as they fall asleep – it’s one of the best parts of my day.
I may have to steal this idea for a blog post….
I actually think I’m kind of crunchy, but I got sprinkled with granola on that quiz. That said, I had to guess at a lot of answers since i don’t have kids.
Whelp, just sprinkled with granola…but I’m not surprised…
I was sure I’d have scored lower!
Funny post Maryea!
AWESOME! I LOVED this post, Maryea! Too funny to analyze ourselves! I scored a ’94 Mmmm! Love that whole grain crunch!’ (it was higher than I thought it would be) Sh*t Crunchy Mama’s Say video was great! I don’t think I’m thaaaaat crunchy- but I’m pretty open minded. However, I’m *totally* with you on the shaving, make-up, pretty shoes and things like that. I couldn’t imagine going any other way! I may be a little crunchy but I’d never go that far- ever.
I did like my Moby- it is handy when the little man wanted to cuddle/be held and I needed to do stuff around the house. I also try to cloth diaper as much as I can and do get a little paranoid about vaccines so I stretch them out juuuuust a tad. I wonder where my breastfeeding journey will go, I’m determined to make it as long as I can; however I can’t see us going past 2, I ‘ll just feel successful if I make it past a year! ……. I want to hear about Babywise and how it works for you.
I can see the Moby being handy. I just seemed complicated to me and I didn’t want to spend the money if I wasn’t going to use it much.
Babywise taught me to understand that not every cry=hunger and how to implement a flexible feeding/sleeping routine with consistent naps. Also the order of sleep, eat, then awake time. This worked great for us, especially with Luke who didn’t sleep well immediately after a feeding because of his tummy issues and reflux. By doing this you also are encouraging the baby to learn to fall asleep on his/her own, without needing to nurse to sleep or be rocked to sleep. There’s a lot of freedom in that. I bring Luke up for his nap and it takes me less than five minutes to change his diaper, sing him a little song, and put him down. He goes to sleep on his own, happily. Babywise says that by just implementing the sleep/eat/play and having regular naps, most babies will sleep through the night on their own between 8-12 weeks. I’ve seen this with friends, so I do know it’s true. Apparently a small percentage of Babywise babies need “help” by letting them cry it out at night to break the habit. Well, I guess both my little ones were in that small percentage!
Thank you so much for your great reply and hitting some of the highlights. I appreciate it lots! You’re the best, Maryea! THANK YOU for helping this mama out!
I loved this! Scored 101. It’s a constant running joke with all my close friends and family what a hippy I’m becoming! Eek!
Too funny! I’ve gotten more crunchy over the years, too. I wonder if I’m going to keep getting crunchier…
Hi Maryea,
I have been enjoying reading your blog for about 1 month now. I must admit that I sometimes feel guilty for not being crunchy enough, I scored a pretty crispy myself. I found myself feeling bad for not doing this or that and in my 14 month journey of being a mama so far, I have come across lots of cruncholas that have flat out told me THAT IS TOXIC! I decided not to see them any more. No sense leaving a play date or a breast feeding support group feeling bad. About 5 minutes after taking the test, or maybe less, I realized that JESUS is not really concerned about how crunchy I am and if He is my LORD and Savior, then that should be my main focus, not how this or that I am. So I agree with you and thank you for the post to remind me that my identity is in Christ not Birkenstocks.
Absolutely, Stephanie! You are spot on. 🙂 I’m pretty sure Jesus isn’t going around labeling our parenting techniques.
I absolutely adore this post! It gave me such a good laugh–especially the shoe part. I’m not very crunchy at all either…which it kind of ironic since I have a love affair with hippie food. I shave really often, wear make-up every day and own lots of shoes, too! It’s really refreshing when bloggers post real, honest posts like these. Love it!
I scored right there with you, Maryea! I’d love you to do a post talking about what natural products you use for body and household cleaning. Especially things you really love/hate. I am about to try some Honest products because I am reading that book right now (which is really informative!).
While I feel really good about all of the “crunchy” choices I make for my family. My one dirty secret that I can’t shake (but really want to) is the microwave. I make huge pots of grains to use throughout the week and find it SO convenient for quick warm-ups. HELP me break this habit!!! Someone, please…
I will definitely do a post like that. I have gone through so many different natural products for both my body and house, I need to try to remember them all! There are so many out there that just don’t work, unfortunately.
So the microwave…I use it, too. Probably too much.
So i HAD to take that quiz and I scored a 78…..89-60 Pretty crispy!
Too funny!
I loved reading this. Can you believe I might be crunchier than you? You told us all the ways you weren’t crunchy,but how about the ways you are crunchy.
That’s true—maybe another post! 🙂
Cute post! I’m with ya on just about all of these things, so I guess I’m sorta crunchy too 🙂
On a crunchiness scale of 10, I’m probably an 8.5! I’ve gotten crunchier with each kid – right down to planning a homebirth for the last one. Baby wearing (the Bjorn sucks, for what it’s worth!) co-sleeping, delayed vax, cloth diapers/EC, homeschooling… my crunchy list is long!
I don’t own Birkenstock’s though! And I’m with ya on the shaving, hair washing, make up wearing and deodorant using… I made the choice to wean Maxine at 2.5 (she would have quite happily kept nursing) and will probably follow a similar route with Kaz. This is why I don’t get a score of 10!
I’ve definitely gotten better at respecting other people’s personal choices as I’ve gotten older. To each their own, we’re all on our own journey’s… parenting, life or otherwise!
I’m right there with you. My mother considers me “hippyish,” but I am right on with 9 of your 10 reasons (I did breast feed in public as necessary.)
I love this post! It seems like every mom is trying to align themselves with a parenting style, and I don’t know exactly where I fit in! I am with you- I wash/shave everyday. We have a sleep schedule and don’t co-sleep. I think there’s major value in getting regular, quality sleep, for both parents and babies. I nursed my older kids til 2 also, and hope to do the same with this baby, but at 2, I was definitely ready to wean. I do baby wear, but mainly in places where a stroller isn’t convenient- taking my kids into preschool, grocery store (when the cart is occupied by 2 older kids), etc. I am a nurse, and I really believe in the value of vaccines. That one is a huge sticking point for me! I once read a website about “crunchy” parenting, and at the end it said, “Take what works for your family, and leave the rest.” I guess this pretty much sums up my parenting philosophy- we do what feels right for us! Thanks for a fun post!