With people's incessant need to label everything under the sun (literally) it makes sense that moms have their own set of society-deemed labels that they, oftentimes without even realizing it, adhere to. If you're a human with internet access, you've no doubt heard the terms crunchy and silky applied to the moms in your life a time or two. But maybe you don't identify completely with either. Believe it or not, because good things come in threes, there's another category that a mom can fall into. It's called "scrunchy moms" and learning the signs you're a scrunchy mom might make you feel like you've finally found your crew.
Crunchy moms and silky moms usually know which camp they fall into right away. They're a bit of a dichotomy — opposites, essentially. According to Kids Spot, crunchy moms almost always do things as natural as possible, while their silky counterparts tend towards science proven methods and modern day convenience. Scrunchy moms — and no, not in reference to the colorful '90s hair ties — are somewhat of a "middle ground" option between the two.
These moms probably identify with both of the other camps a bit, making it difficult to know where they "fit in." However, if the following signs of being a scrunchy mom apply to you, then you may have finally found a place to call home.
1
You Buy Organic When You Can, But Don't Feel Bad About The Occasional Junk Food Snack
You know the value of feeding your kids with organic, hormone-free foods, but you also can justify the occasional dessert or box of mac 'n cheese.
I know the dilemma well. I did baby led weaning with both of my daughters, shop organically when I can, but also enjoy our nightly (ok, semi-nightly) trips to get ice cream. I chalk it up to healthy balance.
2
You're Honestly Conflicted About Disposable Diapers Vs. Cloth Diapers
For new moms, the struggle between disposable and cloth diapers is real. You don't want to contribute to the growing landfill of disposable diapers, but honestly, cloth diapers seem really weird and nasty. I feel you, scrunchy mamas to be, I feel you.
3
You Can't Seem To Fit In With The Other Moms
One of the hardest parts about being a scrunchy mom is that you don't exactly know where you fit in. I have friends who are full on crunchy and others who are fully on silky, but I never really felt comfortable identifying with either "party."
4
You Tend To Change Your Mind More Often
If you tried out sleep training in a crib and ended up bed-sharing, you might be a scrunchy mom. They tend to be more ok with flexibility, trying new parenting methods. One piece from Voice Boks noted that although this "non-commitment" may be seen as wishy washy, it isn't necessarily a bad thing at all and should be embraced if that's where you fall on the spectrum.
5
You Can Identify With Both "Crunchy" And "Silky" Moms
You might love the idea of an all-organic diet, but may fall of the wagon and order fast food. You may have had an unmedicated, all natural birth, but used pain medication afterwards to deal with recovery. Either way, there is no shame.
6
You Aren't Sure Where You Stand Sometimes
It's OK if you don't have it all figured out, and one thing that scrunchy moms are great at is admitting that they're not experts, being open to new ideas, and realizing the good that lies in both "crunchy" and "silky" parenting methods.
