Motherhood is hard. Everyone is doing their best and just trying to survive some days. The beauty of parenting is that there isn’t one right way to do things and no two kiddos are exactly the same. For some reason, society seems to think that having kids gives them the right to comment on other people’s parenting choices (even when we didn’t ask for their advice). I often want to just say “thanks but no thanks” when someone assumes they know what’s best for my kid.
“What is your kid wearing (or not wearing)?”
It’s cold and raining and my daughter and I run inside the store and shake the water off.
“Why doesn’t your kid have a coat on?” the random stranger asks as she walks past us. I shake my head. Coats aren’t advised while in a car seat and to wrestle my kid while trying to put on a jacket while getting soaked seems silly when we can just run super fast and get inside quickly.
At my job, I see lots of people throughout the day. When a child comes inside wearing rain boots and sunglasses and a shirt and shorts that don’t match, I smile. This kid has style and an overflowing amount of confidence that I wish I could steal.
So let your child rock the sunglasses inside. Rain boots are fun any day. Polka dots and stripes, why not? You do you, kid!
“You let your kid eat that?”
A colorful plate of food with every food group represented might look amazing on your Instagram post, but let’s be real: it’s not what my kid eats every day (or ever if we are being really real). Some days it’s chicken nuggets and french fries and cheese and crackers. It’s something brown with a little beige and maybe some yellow sprinkled on top (or sprinkled on the side because the foods can’t mix or touch!). Sometimes it’s muffins and blueberries for the third straight day in a row because that’s all she will eat for breakfast. It might not be a picture-perfect plate but she’s fed, she’s happy and she’s loved.
When a fellow parent is trying their best, even if their choice seems different, give them the benefit of the doubt and acknowledge that they are doing what is best for their children in the moment and giving them what they need. Thanks but I will ask you myself if I want your advice.
