How we choose to raise our kids is generally a very controversial topic. Everyone has an opinion from your friends and family to random strangers on the street. So how do we choose our parenting styles? Is it really even a conscious choice or is it something that we just fall into as time goes by?

For a lot of us it has to do with how we ourselves were raised. Whether you parent the way your parents did out of love for your own childhood or you parent the exact opposite because you were miserable, it probably has a lot to do with the choices you make.

Another big factor for some is our significant other and how they feel about things, but even in the strongest of relationships there are frequently serious discrepancies between both parents' parenting styles.

Family and marital influences aside, though, as a society we are moving back more and more to the ways of not our parents but our grandparents and even great grandparents. More and more parents and choosing to breastfeed, co-sleep, baby-wear, and cloth diaper, and the reasons may surprise you.

For many it’s basic instinct: your child cries, you respond, and truthfully regardless of your beliefs on the matter letting your child cry it out isn’t fun. So while for some it is a conscious choice based on the belief that CIO is wrong. For others it’s simply easier and less stressful to respond and avoid baby crying. This goes for most any other parenting belief as well.

Sure breast feeding is best, but many also figure it out it’s also a lot less work, depending on your lifestyle, no bottles to pack or formula to mix, and it most certainly costs less. So while for our parents bottles were the ultimate convince, women are starting to see now that it’s no longer the case.

A lot of families baby-wear and co-sleep for these same reasons as well. It is certainly easier if you’re nursing to have baby right there than it is to get out of bed 4 or 5 times a night, and baby-wearing means you can hold your child, which makes baby happy (normally) and still get things done. Cloth diapering as well can save you a lot of cash, so much so for some families that it allows mom to stay home.

Now don’t get me wrong I’m not saying these are the only reasons parents choose to parent the way we do. Some women do a lot of research and really do seek to make informed choices, but really if your parenting style feels wrong to you it probably is. Regardless of how or why ultimately if you are happy with your choices and your child is happy then that is all that really matters.

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