Facebook posts, Instagram and Mumsnet threads, the opinions shared about parenting these days are so polarised, it’s impossible to be able to take any advice.
Take the sleep issue for example. You get the Cry-It-Outers going up against the Co-Sleepers.
Behavioural issues – you get the Disciplinarians going up against the Emotion Coachers.
When my children kick off in public and I get dirty looks, I never know whether people are judging me for not gripping my child and telling them off or for not understanding their emotional needs.
On Facebook posts, the Boomers come out in force. Childcare too expensive? Shouldn’t have had kids then. Child crying on an airplane? They didn’t in my day, just give them a wallop. Kids are too soft these days, health and safety gone mad, wokeism is ruining our children.
On Instagram you seem to get the other side of the coin. Everywhere you look there are Conscious Parenting Coaches or Gentle Parenting Coaches preaching to all the cruel parents that they should never have to shout at their kids. Parents greedily over-analysing and amplifying any potential neuro-diverse behaviour or non-cisgender trait.
And as for Mumsnet - through all the judging, judging, judging, who is actually really there for each other? Mumsnet is supposed to be a place where we can collectively take a breath and encourage and support those going through the mad journey that is motherhood. Not villianise others for making choices different to our own. I guarantee that as a result of this post I will get at least one person picking apart an element of what I have said which they don't agree with to slam me down, entirely missing the point.
We are all doing our best. Let’s break the chain and give each other a break.