My Opinion on this Parenting Gig

So ever since we found out we had been chosen for Kaleigh and to this day there are about a million differing opinions about what you should do and how you should do it and when you should do it, etc. Seriously, about everything. And for every opinion there is out there, there is a directly opposite opinion about the very same thing from someone different. Here are just a few examples:

Natural birth or get an epidural (obviously I didn't have to make a decision about that)
Breast fed or formula fed
This car seat or that car seat
BabyWise or no BabyWise
Let them cry it out or don't let them cry it out
How and when to discipline your child
What you should feed them

And it goes on and on and on and on....you get the point.  I promise you the list is a lot longer than the one I just made off the top of my head. It's every single thing in parenting. If you are pregnant or have any children you know exactly what I am talking about.

 I have had a lot of conversations about this with a lot of people lately and I am noticing that parents (myself included) are bombarded with these opinions, many of them quite strong. So I thought I'd give the world my opinion. Ready for it??

Do what is best for your family.

That's it. Obviously make educated decisions and be thoughtful and prayerful about your decisions, but do what is best for your family. You and your spouse are the only people on earth who know your family and you are capable of making a good decision. Walk in the freedom of your decision. Drown out all the outside opinions and just be the parents God wants you to be. What works for me and my family may not work for you and your family. And what works for your family may not work for mine and that is okay.

Now I'm not saying don't do research and don't ask advice from others who have gone before you, but after you do that just make a decision and walk in the freedom of the decision you make.

And for those of you who are super opinionated about any or all of this, know that it's just that, your opinion. If someone chooses not to do things the way you would do it, it's okay (unless is blatant sin). You need to free them to live and walk in the decision they made and come alongside them and support them in it, even if you don't agree. Trust your friends to make good decisions for their family. This parenting gig is hard and we all need each other's support.