"Radical parenting," or as my mother likes to put it, "como los gringos!"

I like to carry my baby, all day. However, I never realized how troubling this is for my latino familia. "You're going to spoil that kid if you carry him around," "Don't pick him up when he cries or you'll spoil him," "It's good to let your baby cry out, it's good for his lungs and you don't spoil them." What the heck is wrong with you people! Of course I politely respond by saying that I do not believe in those theories of raising a baby. And of course people get offended. I had one aunt say to me, "Oh what are you gonna be like those white people and carry him around in one of those funny looking cloths?" What am I supposed to say to this ignorant question? And no matter how many times I try to educate them, they always end up with the same weird, confused look on their faces, as if I'm speaking a different language.

I remind them that our people in Mexico used to carry around their babies on their backs, before they were conquered. "But we are not in Mexico!" my mother once told me when I tried to explain my reasoning. The woman means well, after all she was raised with these same as I like to call them, "cruel theories." How can I leave my baby crying all for the sake of not spoiling him? Obviously he needs something; crying is his way of communicating his needs and wants to me. By ignoring those cries I am ignoring his needs. And lets not get into co-sleeping! People think I'm crazy when I say I sleep with my baby and plan to sleep with my child for as long as he wants.

My family has difficulty understanding my perspectives. At first I was shy and afraid to speak my mind, but then I realized that my family had no control over my child. I am his mother and I am going to do what is right for him, and that includes speaking out!

My father likes to call me a modern day hippy. I walk around the house wearing my wrap while my little one breast feeds. I use cloth diapers and bathe my baby using homemade soap. I try to avoid the doctor as much as possible and will not vaccinate my child. I had an all natural birth and plan on breast feeding my little one as long as I can. I sleep with my baby and run to him whenever he starts to cry. I plan on raising my child vegetarian and hope to homeschool him.

My brother likes to say I live like an Indian, I like to say I live like I am supposed to live: simply and peacefully. I'm not rich and do not want to be. If it were up to me I'd live off the land somewhere in Oregon, where I would raise animals and plant berries. =) Then they'd really call me "crazy!"

But let me be the first to say that it has been difficult caring for my baby the way I want to care for him. Society likes to impose their beliefs on you. But I'd rather be perceived as "crazy" than go with the mainstream. My family has much to learn about "radical parenting." Yet I don't believe it's radical at all. I see it as parenting that is based on love and respect for your child. I was raised with my mother yelling and screaming at me. I spent alot of my childhood feeling scared, insecure and alone. I do not want this for my child. And it begins with co-sleeping.

I love my familia but they drive me nuts with all their useless advice! Of course not all of it is useless, the elder women in my family have given me great advice on natural remedies, many of which come from our people in Mexico. Yet there is too much advice that I can live without hearing. I'd rather be known as "la loca de la familia" than go with their flow. So lesson to be learned, once ya'll have your babies, remember to be strong in your beliefs and do not let others try to compromise your beliefs by giving you false advice. Do your research and raise your little ones as you wish to. Go Radical Parenting!