How Being A Silky Mom Affects Your Kids Later In Life

The phenomenon of classifying parenting styles into "silky," "crunchy," and even "scrunchy" seems to be here to stay. As fun as it can be to learn your "parenting personality," if you identify as a "silky" parent, you might be wondering how being a silky mom affects your kids later in life. It's normal (and healthy,) for parents to consider how their parenting styles will affect their children as they grow older.

Although, of course, it's impossible for every mom to fall into one category exactly, knowing these "types" can help parents make better decisions that fit their values as well as find other moms that fall into the same "camp" as they do.

But first, what exactly is a silky mom? According to The Snap Mom, silky moms are the definition of a "modern mom". You follow the established medical advice, vaccinate on schedule, may use formula, and utilize as many modern convinces as possible (disposable diapers all the way.) You might have had a medicated hospital birth, or maybe even an elected C-section. And sleep training your baby on schedule is your jam.

One of the common choices silky moms make is to formula feed or stop breastfeeding sooner than their crunchy counterparts. Although the American Academy of Pediatrics, breastfeeding exclusively for the first six months is the main guideline that they suggest. Many silky moms stop nursing at this point and introduce solids or formula. However, one study published in US Health News noted that there was no cognitive difference in infants who were breastfeed compared to those who were formula fed.

Another common defining factor of silky moms is using sleep training methods to help teach their baby to sleep through the night. While crunchy moms may co-sleep or bed share for a period of time, silky moms typically prefer to teach their baby to sleep in a crib. According to Riley Children's Health at the University of Indiana, studies have found that there is no significant difference in children who used various sleep training methods, as long as the child was old enough.

It's also worth noting that the aforementioned study followed families who used "graduated extinction" methods that involve crying for short intervals, "bedtime fading," and no particular method. Full on crying it out (ie. leaving your baby alone to cry until they fall asleep) isn't recommended and can definitely have a lasting impact on kids.

Although it's nerve wracking to consider the weight your parenting decisions will have on your kids as they grow up, it helps to know that regardless of which "label" you fit into, your children will likely turn out just fine and the various preferences seem to affect parents more than they do children.

Psychology Today noted that the parents who raise the most successful kids set boundaries, encourage independence, discipline when necessary, and always support their children — regardless of whether they're silky, crunchy, or scrunchy.