To unfollow people who lecture me

plsdontlectureme · 2026-08-10T17:35:03+00:00

I have just unfollowed a load of local businesses, mostly baby & toddler related. They have gone from just ‘this is going on’ ‘we have this class on a Monday’ ‘here is our Halloween special date’ to becoming increasingly finger wagging and sanctimonious. I’ve been told not to walk my non existent dog in the heat, why they are no longer sharing photos of children (with a heavy undertone of no one else should be doing so either) why children should rear face as long as possible and various others. i am not an objectionable person by nature but its so tiresome

SerenaCat93 · 12/08/2026 10:33

ThisBoldFinch · 12/08/2026 07:20

If Admiral Insurance lets just ONE awful human know that they’re only allowed into the fresh air once a day, it’s all been worthwhile..

What on earth are you on about? 😵‍💫

ThisBoldFinch · 12/08/2026 07:20

If Admiral Insurance lets just ONE awful human know that they’re only allowed into the fresh air once a day, it’s all been worthwhile..

SummitWrong · 12/08/2026 07:17

They're not lecturing you. Unless you are doing those things that they're suggesting not to and you're taking it personally?

Malasana · 12/08/2026 07:09

They’re just sharing information that they want to share in their own page. It’s not lecturing you or specifically aimed at you - it’s general information.

If you don’t like it then unfollow. I don’t understand the angst about it all or why you would ask if you’re being unreasonable. You can unfollow for any reason at all. It’s is allowed and no one will quiz you about it later.

ThisBoldFinch · 12/08/2026 07:02

This was a more eye opening thread than I’d expected.

It took me right back to Covid where all of the mini hitlers come out to police people they see as ‘stupid’ or ‘not listening’ because they may not be acting in the ‘right way’ or be as scared as they should be.

Wont someone PLEASE think of the children?!

People don’t want to be lectured by businesses, its tedious at best and at worse a cynical attempt to increase clicks.

@plsdontlectureme the post about Bad Things was spot on

Original poster

plsdontlectureme · 11/08/2026 20:32

@cantthinkofagoodusername2026 i don’t know why you’re being sarcastic about it, tbh.

Maybe every single other person who follows them loves it, and waits with bated breath for the updates; I just don’t, so have unfollowed. That’s hardly narcissistic!

And while a lot of the comments here are critical (although mainly from the same three people) the poll results indicate there’s a hell of a lot of narcissists out there.

OP posts:

cantthinkofagoodusername2026 · 11/08/2026 20:28

It's almost as if lots of different people from different backgrounds with different experiences might follow a particular page .....

Original poster

plsdontlectureme · 11/08/2026 20:26

Well, they are talking to everyone who follows them, of whom I was one. So they are talking to me. Not just me of course.

But if I’m accused of being a narcissist for reading posts I’m supposed to read I don’t really know what to say!

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cantthinkofagoodusername2026 · 11/08/2026 20:23

SerenaCat93 · 11/08/2026 20:00

Are you aware of how juvenile you sound just repeatedly saying "I don't like being told what to do" over and over when it comes to people sharing safety facts about children?

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I know, right? It's like OP thinks that she is being personally addressed by the people making the posts in question. Quite narcissistic.

Original poster

plsdontlectureme · 11/08/2026 20:21

Well; there are a number of facts relating to children.

It’s a fact that families with stepparents present more of a risk to children than those with biological parents. It’s a fact that breast milk is better suited to babies. All sorts of facts. But sometimes sharing these facts isn’t very helpful.

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SerenaCat93 · 11/08/2026 20:00

plsdontlectureme · 11/08/2026 18:12

I find them annoying because I don’t like being told what to do and how to do it.

Edit sorry (disturbed by child) I think when anything is presented as ‘this is what you should do, must do, and if you don’t you are either an uneducated fool or a terrible person’ it winds me up the wrong way. Of course, some things do fall into that category but your fairly standard sort of parenting choices don’t.

Edited

Are you aware of how juvenile you sound just repeatedly saying "I don't like being told what to do" over and over when it comes to people sharing safety facts about children?

Original poster

plsdontlectureme · 11/08/2026 18:12

I find them annoying because I don’t like being told what to do and how to do it.

Edit sorry (disturbed by child) I think when anything is presented as ‘this is what you should do, must do, and if you don’t you are either an uneducated fool or a terrible person’ it winds me up the wrong way. Of course, some things do fall into that category but your fairly standard sort of parenting choices don’t.

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Turtlestarfish · 11/08/2026 18:11

plsdontlectureme · 11/08/2026 18:01

@Turtlestarfish i get that you are so sure this is the only way that people need telling until they cede defeat, but people aren’t following for car seat advice, they are following because they are looking for something to do with a kid on a weekday morning.

It’s fine, they can lecture to who they want and maybe some people are grateful. It annoys me though 👍🏻 (and there’s any number of bananas Facebook groups about car seats anyway!)

I guess I just find it strange you see it as a lecture. I’m part of a lot of random baby and toddler groups who share all kinds of baby related posts. For example, they shared a post about world breast feeding week last week and a post about a recall of baby bath the week before - would you find these posts annoying as they aren’t strictly about the baby class? It just wouldn’t cross my mind that someone is trying to lecture me, just that they’re trying to share posts that might be relevant to the mums on their groups. The only way I could think it would annoy someone if it touched a nerve.

Original poster

plsdontlectureme · 11/08/2026 18:01

@Turtlestarfish i get that you are so sure this is the only way that people need telling until they cede defeat, but people aren’t following for car seat advice, they are following because they are looking for something to do with a kid on a weekday morning.

It’s fine, they can lecture to who they want and maybe some people are grateful. It annoys me though 👍🏻 (and there’s any number of bananas Facebook groups about car seats anyway!)

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Turtlestarfish · 11/08/2026 17:57

But that’s the whole point - these specific posts you have shared (rear facing and keeping your child off social media being the safest options) aren’t opinions - they’re just facts regardless of if you agree with them are not.
Obviously there are nuances to this which may result in you not following this advice - i.e the points you made about forward facing earlier which may make your decision more understandable. But it still doesn’t change the facts 🤷‍♀️ but I do think if you do this you can’t then get annoyed at relevant pages just stating facts. Bottom line is a lot of first time parents no doubt find it useful. If you don’t, that’s fine too.

Bigcat25 · 11/08/2026 17:57

It's one thing if their message is relevant to their business. I think a child focused store changing their policy to not show photos of kids is totally fair. If you feel judged, that's kinda on you. (For example I don't post kid pics myself but I wouldn't judge someone who does either.)

Your other points I agree with you more.

Original poster

plsdontlectureme · 11/08/2026 17:54

cantthinkofagoodusername2026 · 11/08/2026 17:47

You said that you were 'a bit irritated at best', then went on to say 'somewhat exasperating'. Plus you made a post about it. Just scroll on if you don't want to read certain posts.

Yeah … a bit irritated, slightly exasperated, rolled my eyes a bit? Doesn’t mean I’m red faced and spluttering with fury

OP posts:

cantthinkofagoodusername2026 · 11/08/2026 17:47

You said that you were 'a bit irritated at best', then went on to say 'somewhat exasperating'. Plus you made a post about it. Just scroll on if you don't want to read certain posts.

Original poster

plsdontlectureme · 11/08/2026 17:44

Turtlestarfish · 11/08/2026 17:39

This wasn’t a random influencer spouting random advice though - the OP followed a baby and toddler group. So was sharing extremely relevant advice to parents of babies and toddlers. Big difference in my opinion 🤷‍♀️

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I tend to think the opposite; it’s not someone with a huge platform or who you follow for the purpose of being lectured to. It would be slightly different if it was (for example) paediatric first aid.

@Roseonthebalcony , probably around the same who have free access to my Instagram.

@Turtlestarfish it isn’t about ‘not listening to you’ - I’m already aware of the evils of a profile picture of me, husband and daughter sat on a bench (which sounds a lot more dour than intended actually - it’s meant quite humorously) but I suppose this is the point. We ALL make different choices when parenting our children. My DD does not have a tablet or access to a tablet and never will but I largely keep why to myself. I’m entitled to privately think they are hugely detrimental to children’s development but if I start spouting about that I’m going to piss a lot of people off very quickly.

People have the right to make decisions you personally would not, is the upshot to it. Some things are not Right and Wrong; they are preferences. My social media pages can have whatever preferences they want but if they start using that to tell me about how right they are and this is the one true way to live etc it is somewhat exasperating,

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Turtlestarfish · 11/08/2026 17:39

OnlyMabelInTheBuilding · 11/08/2026 17:35

Yes. Also dumb unemployed influencers who are on TikTok all day ‘raising awareness’

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This wasn’t a random influencer spouting random advice though - the OP followed a baby and toddler group. So was sharing extremely relevant advice to parents of babies and toddlers. Big difference in my opinion 🤷‍♀️

Roseonthebalcony · 11/08/2026 17:38

plsdontlectureme · 11/08/2026 16:37

Well, I haven’t given my view on that (largely as I don’t have one) - I understand some people don’t do it and others do and tbh I don’t see it as especially different to photos up in the lounge.

How many people have free access to your lounge?

OnlyMabelInTheBuilding · 11/08/2026 17:35

plsdontlectureme · 11/08/2026 17:28

@Turtlestarfish i do tend to switch off when someone uses the word 'educate' to mean 'lecture someone about how their thinking is wrong and immoral'.

Yes. Also dumb unemployed influencers who are on TikTok all day ‘raising awareness’

Turtlestarfish · 11/08/2026 17:35

plsdontlectureme · 11/08/2026 17:28

@Turtlestarfish i do tend to switch off when someone uses the word 'educate' to mean 'lecture someone about how their thinking is wrong and immoral'.

I mean, obviously don’t listen to me - I’m just a stranger on the internet who you don’t know from Adam. But I just cant fathom as a parent why multiple professionals, research and awful cases all over the news would be telling you something that’s fact, just to turn round and say “nah my child my choice 🤷‍♀️” and use blasé phrases likening innocent children being plastered online to a photo in a lounge. Genuinely trying to understand this way of thinking 🤯

Original poster

plsdontlectureme · 11/08/2026 17:28

@Turtlestarfish i do tend to switch off when someone uses the word 'educate' to mean 'lecture someone about how their thinking is wrong and immoral'.

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Turtlestarfish · 11/08/2026 17:26

… and this is exactly why we need better education when it comes to raising awareness of these topics 🤦‍♀️ I’m beginning to think this is a rage bait thread because surely no sensible grown adult who has access to news would think a photo in a lounge is akin to posting photos of children on social media. In your lounge you have control (I would hope) of who comes in and what is done with that image, which is the opposite of social media. I listened to your points on the previous posts but this is just coming across as crap parents getting triggered by facts unfortunately.

I could understand if they were posting controversial opinions, but any health professional, police department or similar would be advising these. Maybe pause scoffing your ice lolly and take a moment educate yourself.