parenting politics

Anytime you get a group of moms together, the topic will eventually turn to children and parenting. You'll begin to hear questions like: When did your child stop using a pacifier? What kind of music do you allow your child to listen to? Do you believe in spanking your child? Do you co-sleep or make them stay in their own bed?
It can be tricky to succesfully navigate the waters of parenting politics without offending someone. There are so many different ideas out there about what is best for a child, and deciding which of these ideas will work best for your family is a personal decision. So what do you do when you find yourself in the middle of this type of conversation? Here are a few ideas:

• recognize that there will be differences in parenting styles among your friends, and that it's okay
• agree to disagree (sometimes a parent has a really good reason for their choice that others might not understand)
• Don't be afraid to say if a topic makes you uncomfortable or is too personal to discuss.
• If your child questions why others are allowed to do something and they are not, use it as a teachable moment. Each family has to find what works for them, and different doesn't always mean it's wrong.

What ways have you found to deal with parenting politics?