I have two beautiful little girls, one three and one under a year old. They make me laugh, smile, cry and want to pull my hair out on a daily basis. They are my reason for breathing.

When my oldest was born I immediately became hyper-aware of the fragility of our lives, and like any first-timer, I panicked about the tiniest things. Was she sleeping on her back? Did we swaddle her tightly enough? Was she getting enough to eat? It’s amazing how easy it is to get lost in the haze of worry, and yet, as I mentioned, these are the tiny things.

I often get asked in conversation to weigh-in on all the “controversial” parenting topics, such as whether to immunize or not immunize, breastfeeding vs. formula feeding, and even topics like co-sleeping and the family bed. Maybe I get asked these type of questions because I have a mom blog, or perhaps because I am a mom of two. However, I think it’s because these are the things that keep parents of young children up at night and so everyone’s looking for answers. We are so worried that we might get it wrong, that by choosing one parenting style over another we’ll have ultimately ruined our children forever. Can we be any harder on ourselves? Yet with all the questions I get asked about on various topics, I find it strange that few people have asked my opinion on one of the biggest hot-button issues out there and that’s the freedom to marry.

Despite the historic importance of this issue, I don’t consider it to be particularly controversial, although I know it is, and I’m not writing about it to be political either. In fact, that is the opposite of my intention. Let me explain further, see I aim to write this article simply from my perspective as a mother, not as an activist or as a left wing or right wing, but simply as a mom.   

You see, on a day-to-day basis I can easily find myself stressing over the little things I mentioned earlier. It’s not difficult to get sucked into the mommy wars over infant feedings and sleep arrangements.  However, I also find myself concerned with the things we have not yet faced in our little nuclear family. I worry about the day my ladybug encounters mean girls in middle school. I worry about being able to afford college. I worry about genetically altered food and buying only organic produce. More importantly, I worry about my girls growing up to stand up for what they believe in, about them dreaming big, and taking risks, and through all of that, about them being able to find and marry, someone that loves them and wants to create a family with them.

As parents, we want the best for our children. I am no different. I want my girls to have every freedom imaginable. I will fly to the moon and back to get it, and every mother I know would do the same for their children. It’s what we are programmed to do, to want the absolute best for our little ones.

I don’t know what the future has in store for my ladybug and jellybean. I don’t know what they’ll be when they grow up. I don’t know where they’ll go to college, and I don’t know who they’ll fall in love with. What I do know is that when those days come, I don’t want anything standing in their way. I don’t want anyone or any law telling them they can’t be who they are or love who they love. 

Right now six states have granted the freedom to marry for all couples, and in November four states will face ballot initiatives regarding the freedom to marry. That adds up to only 10 states in our large country – provided that the votes in the fall are votes for freedom.

I implore each and every parent reading this article to think about your children. Think about all the hopes and dreams that you have for them. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if all our children were given the same opportunities? Don’t we want all parents to know that their children have the security that marriage brings to a family? When we take our last breath, don’t we want to know that our kids have a husband or wife to take care of them? We all want love, happiness and security for our children. Let’s vote that way too.

httpv://youtu.be/Dqq5-hkaAgM

For more information on the Freedom to Marry and the upcoming elections:

The Pride Foundation http://www.pridefoundation.org/

Freedom to Marry http://www.freedomtomarry.org/

For more information on the 2012 ballot states:

Washington United for Marriage http://washingtonunitedformarriage.org/

Mainers United for Marriage http://www.mainersunited.org/

Minnesotans United for All Families http://mnunited.org/

Marylanders for Marriage Equality http://marylandersformarriageequality.org/

Lindsay O’Neil is a proud mom of a mischievous redhead and new little jellybean living in Seattle, Washington. She is a blogger and professional in the marketing & entertainment industries. You can read more about her and from her on her blog TheLindsayList.com! 

Follow Lindsay on Twitter @Lenser! 

The post ‘Mommy Thoughts on Marriage Equality’ Written by Lindsay O’Neil appeared first on Michelle Rivera Lifestyle.