There’s a new labeling for women called “crunchy moms.” I have only just heard of this. After doing some research about this new branding, I realized I was crunchy or, maybe “scrunchy” before it was cool.
It’s always funny to me to learn about those of us who have an original thought and are considered weirdoes…until more than ten of us begin to get on board, and then we’re totally with the cool kid crowd.
Crunchy moms by definition are breastfeeding, natural birth, cloth diapering, co-sleeping, non or selective vaccinating, anti-circumcision, essential oil healing, homeschooling or un-schooling, natural medicine, natural living, organic eating parents. The crunchy mom website says ‘crunchy’ is a reference to the crunch of granola; so it’s hippie-acting, wear your baby in a wrap on your chest, sandal wearing mommies.
According to the website, a “silky” mom is a modern-type mother who prefers a medicated hospital birth, bottle feeding, rice cereal eating, disposable diapering, crib sleeping, circumcising, vaccinating, and follows the train of thought of modern medicine.
A “scrunchy” is somewhere in the middle, although before reading about this subject, I thought a scrunchy was a hair tie. It’s a mother who may use formula to feed their child, vaccinate him as well as having a hospital birth, but may use cloth diapers and make their own baby food.
I think my parenting decisions lean more toward crunchy, although I never ate my placenta; however, I had a cesarean section, so I guess it evens out.
Nevertheless, my hat is off to these crunchy moms. It’s hard to be different and make unpopular decisions when it comes to taking care of your children.
I’m thinking I’m more of an herbal mom. Since I don’t consume lots of granola, I wouldn’t label myself as such. So my definition goes like this: cloth diapering, essential oil healing, clothesline pinning, organic consuming, non or selective vaccinating, homeschooling, hospital birth, herbal tea sipping, breastfeeding, recycling, homesteading, crib sleeping, discipline your own children, make them comply with respect and give them many chores, make your own laundry soap mom.
This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: Crunchy or silky mom