Web Exclusive: Should Parenting Classes Be Required?

So here's my question for you, ladies. Given the long-term effect that parents have on their kids, should parents be required to attend a parenting class before raising a child, or are natural instincts enough? The concept of maternal instinct, according to science, is a myth. It doesn't exist. There's a maternal drive, but not a maternal instinct. So when a child acts out, Online, let's say, and it goes viral. I never see in the comment section ever, where's that kid's dad? Not one time. I never see that. So forget the parenting class, forget instincts, and let's start co-parenting. Because we underestimate the value of both parents. Okay, well, here's what we have to remember. It does take a village, and back in the day, way back when people were sitting around campfires, the aunties and the grandmas were there and the sister's cousin, and everybody raised the children together. So you may be great at this, and she may be great at breastfeeding. Really. You had a community. And we all do it together, but what I do think is really important is that women do have a nurturing instinct. And I think we can't feel guilty for not having everything. I went to the pump station. I spent money. I took classes. Who did I? We took her dad, we were gonna do this parenting thing together because he needs to know the rules as much as I do. You went to what station? Pump station. Anybody know the pump station? Yes. It's a fancy place out here in L.A. where they sit you down on the ground. They actually teach classes on how to be a parent because there are a lot of rules that if... I came from singlehood, honey. I was at the club like, what, what? I had no clue about mommying. Thank goodness as the universe had it, I was seven months pregnant and I was watching OWN And she had Dr. Shefali on. Conscious parenting and it changed my life understanding these lessons were so vital to me understanding that my daughter that I was going to give birth to is not an extension of me. She's her own person. I say do whatever you need to do to get the lessons that you have whatever jives with you take it what you don't connect to throw it away. It's not one size fit all parenting, do what works for you. Conscious parenting is the jam. I agree with what she's saying, but I also think there's got to be some sort of a community where we set where women can actually ask for help. There's so much mom shaming now, it is beyond. You ask a question and everybody's on you, attacking you, that you could possibly even think such a thing. So I think if we built a community where you actually can be vulnerable and say, I need help right now, I think that works for specific instances. I don't know that there's a class I don't know they can teach you how to parent because it's not a cookie cutter situation. I'm telling you None of my children are the same What I did for one I bet not even try to apply it to this other one cuz it ain't gonna work man Raising my daughters was totally different than raising my sons. It was like night and day. It wasn't even close It's no comparison. I'm much better At raising these boys than I am my girls. Yeah. Because I just, I don't know enough. I do think it's a crime that we get three months off of maternity leave. I think there needs to be more, in my opinion. Absolutely. I was so, I was very lucky I took three years off. To really get to know my daughter. To really, I was very fortunate to take the time off, get to know her as a person because I didn't think that I had the maternal instinct. Well, the three months is because some guy came up with a rule. Exactly, a guy who's never had a baby before. You just don't know. Hey, we're going to take a break. We got more straight talk when we come back. Hey, you made it to the end of this video. I got a lot more that you're going to enjoy. So just click to watch the next one. And make sure you subscribe to always know what's happening.