Generally speaking, when I write, I tend to be long winded. Today, however, I want to keep my thoughts short and sweet. Well, short anyway.
Recently I got to spend some time with my mom and six sisters. Yes, six. Some are married in, but that doesn’t make a difference.
A few of us are moms and were discussing mom-type things. You know formula vs nursing, carrying, disciplining, etc. And as we were talking, one of my sisters – a first time mother – made the rather astute realization: “It doesn’t matter what you do, there’s always going to be mommy shamers.”
I’ve seen the parody videos on YouTube and the tear jerking commercials about putting aside our differences. I’m not sure it really occurred to me that this is a real problem.
Mommy shaming.
Really?
Why is this a real thing? There are crises happening all over the world. People are starving, dying, being sold into slavery. Those are real problems. You and I disagreeing on whether we should let our kid play with or without my constant supervision should not be an issue.
I am the mother to my little beauties. They are the only two precious darlings that I get a say in the way they’re raised. If someone asks my opinion on a parenting matter, I will give it. When I ask another mother for their help, I sincerely want it.
That’s what being a parent, a mother, a woman is all about. We help each other. We don’t tear each other down.
We don’t agree? That’s fine. We don’t have to. That’s the beauty of it. If we were all the same, the world would be a very sad place.
I think the vast majority of women are kind and helpful and loving. But there is a percentage that would rather pick a fight than give a fellow mother a kind word.
Let’s fix this. What are your ideas for combating or avoiding mommy shaming?