How To Know If You're A 'Silky' Mom — The New Mom Type That Used To Just Be Called Normal
These moms value convenience.
Amorn Suriyan / Shutterstock In case you haven’t noticed, people are starting to take an keen interest in how to best raise healthy and happy children. This is evidenced with the popularity of shows like "The Parent Test."
The show looks at a variety of parenting styles and judges which is best. You might see parents who are disciplined, traditional, natural, helicopter, or free range as some of the 12 styles showcased.
But one particular style of mothering you will not find there is "silky." Moms are taking TikTok by storm to get in on the latest trend of showing whether they are a "silky mom," a "crunchy mom," or a combination of both.
What is a silky mom?
The term "silky mom" is a dead giveaway for the parenting style of some women.
Thought to be the "norm," a silky mama loves anything that will help her life as a mom run as smooth as silk. Her focus is on convenience and time management.
A silky mom is a modern mother who prefers to use any available medical, technological, or scientific advances to make parenting as seamless as possible.
They prefer medicated hospital birth, bottle feeding, part-time breastfeeding, disposable diapers, crib sleeping, and also rely on modern products to make mom life easier.
Silky moms adhere to advice from an established medical authority. They get their kids vaccinated as recommended and on time.
These women get their baby food from the nearest grocery store, depend on formula feedings, and find convenience in brands like Pampers for keeping their little ones fresh.
Silky moms are taking to TikTok in droves to share their lifestyles that include modern medicine, plastic toys, and the coveted "screen time," better known as a break for mama.
Silky Moms vs. Crunchy Moms
Now that you know what characteristics silky moms exhibit, you might guess that a "crunchy mom" is the total opposite, willing to take the rocky road less traveled for what she believes is a better outcome for her children.
Unlike silky moms, crunchy moms are willing to sacrifice their own comfort and convenience to benefit her offspring. She uses cloth diapers, breastfeeds, co-sleeps with her baby, and prefers a natural home birth to one with medication in the hospital.
Crunchy moms are always skeptical of medical authority and will utilize holistic and natural cures and treatments. They tend to be vegan or vegetarian and spend time preparing organic foods to nourish their children.
Many mothers lean more toward the silky style than the crunchy one these days, but the majority fall somewhere in between in a category known as "scrunchy."
Scrunchy moms see the value in finding items of convenience when necessary, but also try to incorporate some of the natural and holistic practices as well.
They are a combination of silky and crunchy, and may buy prepared baby food sometimes and make organic meals at others. Her kids may be vaccinated, but she does all of the research necessary and picks the ones she considers safe.
How To Know If You’re A Silky Mom
1. You let your kid frequently use screens.
You have no qualms about plopping your kid down in front of an iPad or television screen if it means you have time to get things done.
2. You trust the advice of medical professionals.
Silky moms believe the people that have spent years training in the medical field. They don’t feel the need to look for alternative ways of treating their children.
3. You buy plastic toys.
While crunchy, environmentally conscious mothers are keen on keeping their kids away from plastic, silky moms will buy a toy based on its entertainment value to her kid.
4. You're focused on your own comfort and convenience.
Whether it’s getting shot up with an epidural while giving birth at the hospital, or having your pregnancy induced to get childbirth over with, silky moms will always choose the path of least resistance.
5. You use disposable diapers.
Silky moms don’t have time or desire to wash cloth diapers. They prefer a pack of Huggies or Luvs and perhaps an accompanying Diaper Genie for ease of disposal.
6. You bottle feed your baby.
As a silky mom, you might work outside of the home or have projects that you are passionate about. You may contribute some breastmilk to your baby’s feeding, but you also rely on bottles and formula.
NyRee Ausler is a writer from Seattle, Washington, and author of seven books. She covers lifestyle and entertainment and news, as well as navigating the workplace and social issues.