Perspectives in Parenting

"Are you going to breastfeed?" The question slipped out of my mouth before I could stop it, and the woman I was speaking to looked taken aback and I don't blame her. There is so much pressure to breastfeed, so much shaming and mom guilt, and constant messages of breast is best; it is hard to navigate the waters of what to say and to whom. My interest was genuine, I made it to a year breastfeeding and I wanted to share my experience with her. I wanted to let her know that there were many, many days I wanted to quit and that it was a challenge, from the beginning, and that if she wanted to complain, or stop,...

Here at Red Stick Mom, we offer dozens of ideas from diverse perspectives in our mom hacks, tips and tricks category. From taking road trips from Baton Rouge to meatless meals to natural cold remedies, we’ve written about it. We are here to help everyone as we navigate through this wild ride through motherhood. When it come to battling the mommy wars. About a year ago, I woke up to a beautiful fall morning and toted my kids to our favorite Baton Rouge outdoor play area, Leeward Park.  While snuggling my then five-month-old Ben, another mommy of a young baby approached me.  We began with small talk, but eventually our conversation moved to our birth stories.  She told me with much enthusiasm...

By now you’ve at least heard of Juneteenth. I was first introduced to Juneteenth by my late grandfather, affectionately known as Daddy Leamon. As a child, my grandfather absolutely did not celebrate 4th of July. In fact, I can’t remember a single instance that he even acknowledged it. My siblings, cousins, and I fondly recall his annual celebrations. We knew that every year for Juneteenth we would have the opportunity to enjoy a cookout at his house or a trip to Chicot State Park. We were sure to dine on the finest “Creek Fish” while washing it all down with the coldest foil-wrapped RC Cola’s. Back then soda cans were thicker, and you could freeze them without worry of explosion....

Many of our perspectives in parenting stories offer an intimate look into the highs and lows of being a mom in Baton Rouge. Whether it’s avoiding the mom shame game, or the challenges of having multiple young kids, we think that the best way to work through motherhood is together. No topic is off limits, even if it means getting honest about body image issues for young girls in Baton Rouge. In this case, we understand that Father's Day brings so many different feelings for us all.  What to look for in a good father litmus test. Merriam Webster defines a litmus test as "a test in which a single factor (such as an attitude, event, or fact) is decisive." Though a...

I’ve got to be honest, my primary custodial parent was a single mother. As a child, I celebrated her on Mother’s and Father’s Day. I love my father, but she sacrificed much more for my well-being. In short, Mama’s boy typing. Seriously though, as we move away from the events of childhood we tend to lose sight of how greatly OUR upbringing impacts our person. We become less empathetic causing our children, the greatest contribution any of us can offer to humanity, to grow away from us. There is a belief that fathers have to operate a certain way. I’m here to tell you, that fathers NEED to be what their children need. No more. No less. In the words of...