Developing "Bad" Habits

Over the past few weeks I've had this nagging voice in my head that just won't go away. 

It keeps saying, 

"You better stop. You're developing bad habits...in fact, they're pretty well developed already..." 

Who knew that such little things in parenting could be "bad habits"???

I guess I knew. I remember being the nanny that thought, "I will never do a, b, or c with my kids."

And yet, here I am. 

I'm here to make a confession. 

I lay in bed with my 8 month old to help him fall asleep. 

Every night {almost}

and for every.single.nap. 

Honestly, I'm not sure if it's me laying with him that helps him fall asleep, or if its being in a bed and not his crib. When he goes in his crib he seems to think its time to play...but in the bed he snuggles right up and goes to sleep. If only we could transition to the bed already...too soon??

I remember many nights laying with a 3 year old as a nanny just waiting for her to fall asleep and telling myself how I would NEVER create this "bad habit" with my kids. Well, well, well. 

Never say never! 

It's a lot easier to not create "bad habits" when you are only putting a child to bed a few nights a week...and when you aren't always with them all night long either. 

And okay, now as a mom, I find myself asking, "Really? What is a 'bad habit' any way??"

Of course, I already know that most parenting and sleep books will tell me that my story is a text book example of a "bad habit". 

From rocking to sleep, to snuggling to sleep, to nursing your baby to sleep, to giving your baby a pacifier...they're ALL bad habits. 

Or are they? 

What really IS a bad habit anyway? 

Well, instead of turning to the age old parenting books, I decided to turn to my good friend Google! 

I googled it. 

Define: Bad Habit

"A negative behavior pattern" 

Okay, I will agree that my laying with Christian until he falls asleep is FOR SURE a behavior pattern. But is it really negative????

Of course, I went to Google once again! 

Define: Negative

"Not desirable" 

Interesting. 

What am I desiring in this situation? 

A sleeping child. 

What am I getting with my "bad habit"???

A sleeping child. 

That sounds like I am getting the desired outcome. It is a pattern, but far from negative...IMO. 

I enjoy those precious moments of snuggling with my sweet boy until he falls asleep. And yes, they're only moments. That kid is zonked out within a matter of minutes! If he hasn't fallen asleep after 5 minutes, he just isn't tired. 

Oh...and once he's out..he SLEEPS. Like 1.5-2 hour naps and 9-10 hours through the night! 

You can't tell me that is negative. 

I actually look forward to these snuggles too! 

And when he actually lets me rock him to sleep...I love that even more!! 

Maybe I'll feel differently when he is 3...but for now we are embracing the "bad habit" and calling it successful sleep snuggles. 

I will feel guilty no more! :)

What "bad habits" are you embracing today?

We love sleepy time snuggles :)