The Color of Parenting

Mothering Magazine is a great magazine for any parent. It promotes natural child rearing. Its issues talk about breastfeeding, vaccinations, natural foods, midwifery, home births, HIV/AIDS...

Peggy O'Mara, the editor, really knows how to reassure parents that they are the best judge for what is right for their children. The magazine is a comfort for parents who feel that they are the only ones breastfeeding, co-sleeping, or using cloth diapers.

I buy this magazine because it makes me feel at home. It keeps me in touch with a world of people that believe as I do. The next issue always comes at just the right time. It seems that when I feel that I have reached the edge, my child won't sleep, I am sick, I want to let her "cry it out", or I am so tired of cleaning diapers I just want to use disposables, the next issue shows up. Not only does it show up, but the featured article usually has something to do with what I am going through at the time. The articles are real.

I really like the issues that deal with vaccinations. So many people just do the things that they are told to, or are convinced that they don't know what is right for their child. The vaccination articles, as well as all the other articles in the magazine, encourage informed decisions.

Peggy O'Mara always does an editorial on the first couple of pages. Some of the time they deal with current events on the news (kids shooting kids) but for the most part it is a heartfelt hello to all of us mothers.

As well, there is quite an extensive section of letters from readers. Most of them are love letters, however, they do not shy away from negative feedback. It got really heated when there was an article about a child with two mommies.

This is a gift I give all new parents. It is very informative without the corporate sponsorship, which allows for more objective veiws.