I make some very conscious decisions to be a good Mom: I take deep breaths to keep my calm instead of yelling, I give lots of hugs and affection, I buckle those car seats just so. 

And then… there’s lots of stuff I do because I’m lazy. 

1. Bed-sharing is my best friend. 

I don’t have the energy to drag myself out of bed to nurse in the middle of the night. Keeping my baby next to me solves this problem. Heck, I keep snacks next to my bed so I don’t have to go down to the kitchen when I get hungry in the middle of the night. 

Team Science: The solitary infant sleep environment represents a neurobiological crisis for the human newborn as this micro-environment is ecologically invalid for meeting the fundamental needs of human infants. Source.

2. Breastfeeding beats bottles. 

Whenever I get kudos for having nursed Cub up until I was pregnant with Little Miss (when he was about 27 months old), I feel kind of sheepish. You know what’s easier than heating up a bottle at 3 AM? Or packing a bunch of bottles in my diaper bag? Or arguing with a toddler who just wants some boob? Lifting up my shirt. 

Team Science: Brazilian study of 6,000 babies from all backgrounds since 1982 finds those who breastfed were more intelligent, spent longer in education and earned more. Source.

3. I have a lackadaisical approach to dirt.

The other day I was too lazy to argue with Cub about why he shouldn’t eat the gummy candy he found on the floor of our car. I always thought I’d use one of those fancy covers in the shopping cart to protect my kids from germs. Turns out… nope. 

Team Science: Children lacking four types of bacteria – Faecalibacterium, Lachnospira, Veillonella, and Rothia (Flvr) – at three months were at high risk of developing asthma at the age of three, based on wheeze and skin allergy tests. Source.

4. Screen time-o-rama

One of the best ways to successfully parent from the couch is to allow screen time. I can get a nice nap in during an episode of Paw Patrol! But seriously: my kid’s a genius thanks to Endless Alphabet, Endless Numbers, Endless Reader and Mommy’s endless lounging. 

Team Science: For very young children, there may be benefits in being able to handle the world of the tablet before they have the motor skills to handle their broader environment. Source.

5. “No I don’t want to play with you!” 

“Mom! You be Nightwing and I be Batman!” No thanks. I do not love to play action figures. Yes, I do it sometimes because I love my boy. But I also avoid doing it a lot because I’m lazy. He gets into his own, self-directed games if I ignore him long enough! 

Team Science: “Children who engage in more free play have more highly developed self-directed executive function.” Source.

6. Who has time for a nightly bath?

It’s easier to get a cat into the bath tub than Cub. Just the mention of bath time can make him go berserk. I pick my battles. Want to eat the gummy under the car seat? Ok. Don’t want to be bathed? I don’t want to bathe you, either!

Team Science: “…overly clean living can be bad for our immune systems, which need certain microbes and gut bacteria to function properly and to keep us healthy from the more dangerous pathogens.” Source.

Is your laziness actually awesome? Tell me how!

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