Being a Good Parent

1. "You’re not breastfeeding your baby? But that’s the best thing for them."
"You’re still breastfeeding when your child is 3 years old? Isn’t that a bit too late?"

2. "You put them to sleep in your arms? They’ll get used to it."
"It’s terrible to let your baby fall asleep alone when they spent 9 months in your womb."

3. "Oh, come on, they can cry for 5 minutes, it’s not a big deal."
"Uh… aren’t you going to check on them? They’ve been crying for 5 minutes, their brain will be damaged."

4. "Do you know how bad it is to punish your child?"
"Be careful, you’re giving your child too much freedom, they have no boundaries."

5. "Let your child cry and scream, they need to release their emotions."
"Can you make your child be quiet? They’re being annoying."

6. "You’re giving purees before the bottle/breast? Milk is the main ingredient until one year old, you should always start with the bottle/breast."
"You can decide whether to start with milk or puree at meals, it doesn’t matter!"

7. "You should go back to work, it’ll do you good to get out of the house."
"What? You’d rather work than take care of your children?"

8. "Oh, it’s not a big deal if your baby skips a nap once, they can follow your rhythm, right?"
"It’s up to you to follow your child’s rhythm. It’s not fair to make them skip a nap, poor kid."

9. "Just let them eat some chocolate, you’re too strict!"
"Oh wow, if you knew how bad sugar is for their health… you wouldn’t give them any."

10. "Put your child in an open bed as early as 9 months, it’s the best for their motor skills."
"Keep your baby in a crib as long as possible, that’s the only way they’ll feel safe at night."

11. "Oh no, be careful, they might fall, hold them!"
"Stop always being behind them, they need to experience things on their own."

12. "What? You’re vaccinating your baby? Poor thing, all those substances being injected at such a young age…"
"Not vaccinating your child is truly irresponsible!"

You are told – and you read or hear – everything and the complete opposite. And worse, people feel entitled to give you advice or make remarks on how you dress your child or how you watch over them when there’s a risk of injury or accident. It becomes difficult to know if you’re doing things “right” or “properly.”

There’s an overwhelming amount of information with no real “middle ground.” It can make you doubt yourself, question your decisions. So, even though it’s very hard to do – and I work on it every day – you need to trust yourself. Have confidence in yourself as a parent. What you do for your child comes from your own upbringing, values, and beliefs, combined with those of the other parent (if there is one).

Don’t forget that you’re doing the best you can in a world where everyone feels entitled to comment on and even judge your parenting, in a world where a lot of information (from the internet and professionals) contradicts itself. Raising a child is, in my opinion, the hardest mission there is. You’re doing your best, and that already means you’re doing well and that you are a good parent.