No matter who you are or what you see and hear on social media, there is no such thing as a ‘perfect’ parent. Let’s repeat that so everyone in the back hears it, too: There’s no such thing as a ‘perfect’ parent! Absolutely everyone makes mistakes—they’re a part of the process. And there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to raising kids well.
You can tell a lot about a person by how they react to any mishaps you make or when they do something different than you. Some will be supportive or offer useful advice, while others reveal themselves to be incredibly judgmental and beyond critical. To show you what we mean, we’ve collected some of the worst stories about parents getting ‘mom shamed’ by others, as shared in an online thread. Scroll down for a crash course in how not to treat other parents.
#1
Some people- and it always seems to be older women- just love to comment/criticize. The two nastiest comments I've gotten are about how I let my daughter walk everywhere (what else would I do?) and that she shouldn't be playing in the dirt because it wasn't ladylike (ma'am she one, nothing about her is ladylike, and also she loves dirt and rocks).
Image credits: You_Go_Glen_Coco_
#2
I got shamed for ordering my almost two year old son water at a restaurant instead of milk or juice. He likes to drink water, what do you want from me?
Image credits: AdministrativeSand41
#3
I'm sorry, some people can be so rude and grumpy.
Last week, I had a woman at the swimming pool complain that my child was too loud. During public swim at a community pool. He was just laughing!
I'm trying not to take it to heart, but it is stuck in my head, and I'm so disappointed in people sometimes.
Image credits: PrincessPu2
#4
I had to go to the pharmacy to get myself medicine and I had all 3 of my kids (5, 3, and 1 at that time) with me in 2021. The female tech at the counter told me I shouldn’t be bringing my little kids with me and should leave them at home. I told her I have zero childcare and it’s just me, she argued back that I could have found someone.
Image credits: WiseCaterpillar_
#5
I got mom shamed for choosing a natural birth without an epidural as well as breast feeding lol! People are wild. Give yourselves all the grace in the world ❤️.
Image credits: TryKind9985
#6
Leaving an event when my toddler was tired and about to have a meltdown, but not “noticing she was tired way earlier and leaving before she got to this point”.
Image credits: crashpilliwinks
#7
Breastfeeding and not pumping so “no one else can feed him”.
Image credits: LunarLemonLassy
#8
I’m sorry you had to deal with that. People are just so rude!
When my son was about 15 we were at Home Goods. I picked up a comforter in one of those plastic bags. It was kinda bulky to carry but not heavy.
The 60-ish year old cashier gave me a disapproving look and said very rudely- “Mom you should be teaching him to carry these things for you”
I’m not really sure what I even said but I was so mad. Yeah he could’ve carried it but it wasn’t necessary. She doesn’t know the things he does for me around the house.. I can’t stand people sometimes.
Image credits: JDRL320
#9
I once got scolded for not spending “enough” one-on-one time with my then two-year-old. My husband and I had been home for maybe a week from the hospital with my second baby and were in survival mode.
Image credits: anon
#10
Just recently, I took my son out to Kemah, he just turned 4. He is taller than average, so maybeeee there was some confusion... BUT- he has just started amping up on potty training. It was just me and him there, lots of people. I took him into the woman's restroom nearby because there was no family section close, and he needed to go immediately. Once we came out of the stall, this mom who was helping her daughter wash her hands next to us (doing the same) was giving me a dirty look... she just kept looking at me, then my son, then back at me like I'm doing something incredibly horrible by taking my child to the potty.
What am I supposed to do?
It's not like I can just send him in alone to the crowded adult men's room and ask some stranger to help assist with getting him on the toilet. 🙄🤦♀️.
Image credits: Effective-Jaguar-491
#11
I didn’t attempt to induce lactation so I could breastfeed my adopted baby.
Image credits: bawkbawkslove
#12
For not giving my 6 week old rice cereal & picking my daughter up while pregnant.
Image credits: Ok_Marsupial_470
#13
Literally everything. From his outfit to his physical size. Like he's tall. He's 2.
The hardest one was about letting him feed himself, instead of feeding him myself after he hit 5mo. With doctor suggestion.
Image credits: IllChange1151
#14
I am from Latin America and get a lot of “why are your daughter’s ears not pierced?” when I visit home. Until she was 6 months it was followed “you can’t even tell she is a girl”. Her hair has always been long since birth, so from 6 months onwards the need for bows/hairdo’s to prevent her hair from falling on her eyes have at least stopped the second (extremely sexist) portion of the question. She still gets pity looks though like “poor thing, she doesn’t have holes in her ears”.
Image credits: vixens_42
#15
My daughter loves to carry her shoes but not wear them. She walks but only at home and she’s still gaining confidence. I say this because she’s not walking around stores barefoot. I’ve had a dozen or so people tell me my poor baby needs shoes on to protect her feet or why is she holding them instead of wearing them. While she’s in the buggy no where near the floor. I usually say something to the effect of “alright YOU try to get them on her”. Usually people look offended and walk off.
Image credits: Numerous-Avocado-786
#16
When my son was little he cried a lot, I was breastfeeding so my MIL said "maybe he's crying so much cause your breast milk isn't good enough" she wanted me to formula feed...
Image credits: Trixy_Challenger
#17
My grandma gets so mad at me when i let my 4 year old pick out her own outfits, she goes “well why is she wearing that you could’ve put a nice outfit on her” like she’s 4 and if she wants to pick out her own clothes she’s going to be allowed to do that. or when i leave my daughters hair down instead of putting it up she’ll immediately take her to the bathroom and do it even if i tell her she didn’t want it done she wanted it down she doesn’t care she wants my daughter to look like a babydoll 24/7 and it’s just not going to happen and she constantly makes me feel like i can’t do it right.
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Image credits: gasolinebrat
