Bad Mommy

The American Academy of Pediatrics now officially recommends that toddlers remain rear-facing in their seats until age 2. Or until they become obese. We've known for a while that they are safer rear-facing until age 2, but this is the first I've heard that it's actually recommended. I'm going to be an outlier here and admit that I had my twins facing forward a few days before they turned 1. They love it. I love it. I feel guilty that I don't feel that guilty about it. My older kids were forward facing at 12 months, so I kind of went with the same thing this time around. I don't really know what they weigh right now, although I'll find out this week at their (few months late) well-child check. Their legs got too long, they'd kick against the seat, and I couldn't see them. Plus, I'm a Freakonomics fan (http://www.freakonomics.com/), and seriously, how did we all survive to adulthood?

My daughter who is nearly 5, but small for her age, was also probably in a booster before she should have been. I needed her to be in something that she could buckle into and out of by herself. She was pretty close, but didn't have the hand strength to do the 5 point harness.  Now she helps her friends, from whom she receives hand-me-downs, with their buckles when we carpool for playdates.

While I'm on a roll admitting all my bad-parenting techniques here, I also ate sushi and drank coffee while I was pregnant, and continue to use drop-down side cribs (http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/ConsumerNews/crib-recall-dropdown-sides-fatal-infants/story?id=9161897). I don't buy organic all that often, because it's more expensive. I pick up binkies off the floor and give them back to the kids without washing them. I really really do. I have binkies that haven't been washed in months. MONTHS.

I also don't do baby sign language.  I want my kids to learn how to use their words.  I've read that kids who use baby sign language tend to be earlier readers. I'm not worried. Again, I feel guilty that I don't feel worried about it. Like I'm tempting fate.  There, I've said it, and now it's out there. I'm probably going to get reprimanded, or people will silently tsk-tsk me from their computer screens.

I did get rid of my old Avent bottles and now use the BPA-free ones. And my kids eat a LOT of veggies and fruit, and daily fish oil. The twins were breastfed until 14 months. (How much does it matter if they were already able to chew meat?) And they are all big readers, even though they don't know any sign language. Oh, and I finally got baby gates installed on the stairs. And generally speaking, the kids are clean (except their binkies, which admittedly are filthy), healthy, happy, and well-adjusted.

I really should get wash their binkies. Or just get rid of them, as I've heard they're bad for orthodontia and increase the risk of ear infections. I'm not ready for that yet.