Maz I feel your pain. I don't get why people look at us "hippies" strangely though. Everything you've described about how you parent, sounds logical and sensible and gentle and loving. That's kinda how I deal with this stuff - I look at the mainstreamers like they're the ones being weirdos and if I'm questioned about stuff I turn it around on them and question them. e.g. "Are you STILL feeding him????" me: "... *puzzled look* uh, yeah - he's only 3!!!" then I roll my eyes.


Seriously though, I know it's hard when your values are questioned. It's so much more difficult to swim against the tide. Gentle and thoughtful parenting takes so much strength sometimes, not just in the actual parenting but in the justifying and the explaining to other people. We have to be really thick-skinned and really confident in the way we do things.

Good luck hun you'll be right. One strategy I have learnt for growing a thick skin is to visualise a force-field around you, with their looks and comments bouncing right off. Big hugs to you xoxo