crunchy, Crunchy Moms, mom, crunchy confessions, Dr, Pepper, showers, recycling, neighborhood, community, recycling bin, air conditioner, summer, cloth diapers, diapers, babies

We all know that being “crunchy” means different things to different people. It can even mean something different depending on what season of life we are living. For me, in this season with three young children, these are my crunchy confessions:

  1. I love Dr. Pepper. Yes, I know it is horrible for my teeth. Yes, I realize it creates more waste with all the cups, bottles, straws, and cans it takes to consume it, not to mention the gas fumes from sitting in the occasional drive thru. But there are few other things in this world that give me as much pleasure as an ice cold Dr. Pepper burning down the back of my throat.
  2. My showers are rarely shorter than 20 minutes. Let’s face it, there are days as a mom that a hot shower is the only time that I am ever completely alone and paying attention to my own needs. I hope my long showers are mitigated by the fact that there are at least a few days a week that I never even get to step foot into the tub.
  3. I stopped recycling a few years ago. When baby number two came along and I became a full-time pumping mom due to a medical issue, I just could not find the energy in me to rinse out cans or fold down cardboard boxes then lug them across my neighborhood to the community recycling bin. This one is changing slowly as I begin adding recycling back to my routine. My six year old daughter is in charge of it now.
  4. My air conditioner is set at 74 in the summer. This bad habit started when I was pregnant and could not control my temper when I got overheated. It was just easier to pay the costs a few months out of the year than to put my family’s unity at risk. Please tell me I’m not the only one who gets angry when she is sweating unnecessarily.
  5. Cloth diapers look cute folded up in a basket. And that is where they usually stay. I dip in and out of using them as my schedule allows. I love they way the look on my babies’ bottoms but there are weeks (months!) where I do not have the time or energy to put into the extra loads of laundry.

I don’t think I’ll ever give up my Dr. Pepper or long showers, but I can see progress in my family’s recycling habits and energy usage. Cloth diaper usage will continue to remain up in the air until my baby is potty trained in a year or so. We all define crunchy a little differently and have a range of tolerance for non-crunchy habits. And I’m okay with this.

What are your crunchy confessions?