Ever wonder if you’re the only parent who breaks from conventional thinking on a common parenting issue… or speculate just how common today’s parenting practices really are? UrbanSitter, an online parenting resource for finding childcare, surveyed more than 350 of its families from across the United States to get the inside scoop on controversial parenting topics. The company encouraged parents to “give it up” and tell us all what they really think about topics, such as breast feeding, alcohol during pregnancy, and letting infants “cry it out” in the name of sleep training.
Here are the true confessions, uncensored:
Pregnancy Debunked
Every pregnant woman has heard the experts’ advice on foods and drinks to abstain from through pregnancy, such as alcohol, stinky cheeses, lunchmeat and sushi. How many of you heed the advice and avoid even a glass of wine or a meaty sub sandwich while expecting?
- Glass of wine now and then? 35 percent of those surveyed said, “No way!”, while the other 65 percent said they either took sips or had a glass now and then.
- Pass the Pastrami. Similarly, 62 percent would go for an occasional deli meat sandwich, while 38 percent steer clear in fear of listeria contamination.
What’s More Important Than Sleep?
If you’re a parent, you’re more than familiar with how your sleep and your baby’s – or God forbid, the lack of it – weighs heavy on your mind. We’re just all after a good night’s sleep, right?
- Family beds & Co-Sleepers. 60 percent of parents are fine with sharing their bed with their children, at least occasionally, while the other 40 percent of you think co-sleeping is a bad precedent to set.
- Crying it Out. Regardless of where Baby sleeps, 31 percent say they’d never let their infant cry it out just to keep them on schedule.
Feeding Baby the Very Best
From breast-feeding to organic foods, simply trying to feed your children can become a debate. What really goes into your baby’s belly?
- Mother’s Milk. 62 percent of moms breastfed exclusively, while another 20% also breastfed, but supplemented with formula.
- Hunger Games. Most parents surveyed opted to feed on-demand (62 percent), while only 13 percent set a strict feeding schedule.
- Whole Foods. Once those babies start eating table food, almost 7 out of 10 parents aim to feed them organic food when they can, while only 7 percent choose organic exclusively. Who can afford to choose organic all the time?!
The A, B, Cs
- Public or Private? Nearly 40 percent of parents surveyed prefer private schools, but only 1 in 3 of families surveyed can afford to send their children to private school.
- This is nuts. How do parents feel about the surge in nut-free schools? The majority thinks nut-free schools are a hassle, but a necessity due to potential dangers to those students with nut allergies. Ten percent believe all schools should be nut-free.
Is Modern Day Parenting Really All That Different From the Way Our Parents Did It?
- Whether to vaccinate children has been a hotly debated issue for years. It might not surprise you that the majority of parents, today, vaccinate their children on the pediatrician’s schedule and only 5 percent don’t believe in vaccinating at all.
- Cloth diapers have come a long way since the ones our parents used on us, yet it’s hard to overlook the convenience of disposables. How many of today’s parents are opting to go green by exclusively using cloth diapers? Just a mere 7 percent… who are clearly prioritizing their environmental conscience over their hatred of laundry.
- To circumcise or not to circumcise? More parents today choose to circumcise their infants than those who choose not to do it, deciding to do it for health concerns, religious reasons or because they didn’t have strong feelings about it either way.
- One third of parents surveyed are stay-at-home parents. Of those, 80 percent stay at home by choice, 20 percent do so out of necessity.
Where do you stand on these and other hot parenting topics? Do you tow the line, believing the experts know best, or are you a bit of a rebel… or a trailblazer? Tell us what you think.
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The views and opinions expressed on this blog are purely the blog contributor’s. Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer or provider. Writers may have conflicts of interest, and their opinions are their own.