Hold the Judgement thanks!

Why is it that some people feel the right to openly comment on other peoples choices? Is it to make them feel better about themselves do you think?


Unless you have been living under a rock and hiding from the media, I am sure that most people would have read or heard about the open judgement of Jackie O's parenting choices by Prue Goward. In case you have been under that rock, there has been some great support for Jackie O by many prominent Australian women including Lisa Wilkinson, Libbi Gorr, Georgie Gardener. Kerryn Phelps, Kylie Gillies and MP Kate Ellis- to name but a few I am sure.

There has been the obligatory blogger social commentary about the situation as well - which I must admit does make for an interesting read.

Woogsworld - Bullying for Grown Ups

Mamamia - Jackie O and the twisted politics of being a bad mother

Fat Mum Slim - Leave Jackie O alone

Being the mum of a baby under 6 months is hard enough let alone doing it in the spotlight. No mother deserves to be criticized for her parenting choices. Personally I think it takes 6 months of being a new mum to get over the shock of having a baby in your life at all, a further 6 months (where the baby constantly moves the goal posts) of figuring out just what you are comfortable with in your own style of parenting and then a further 12 months again to even get close to really not caring what other people do and just focusing on doing what is right (and what works) for you.

I just fed my 2 year old hot chips and a chocolate milkshake for lunch so that I could look at a particular shop that I wanted to look at  and cope with his tired whining in my 38 week pregnant condition - will he be OK when he is 21? I'm pretty sure.

A girl I went to school with and am facebook friends with, who now has a 5 month old, (we pulled an all nighter once where we each told our parents that we were sleeping at each others houses so that we could go to the after party of an all boys school formal - oohh dear!) posted on facebook yesterday that a woman had come up to her in the supermarket and told her that "I don't like seeing babies with dummies".

What gives a stranger permission to comment and pass judgement on another persons parenting choice?  Would she like it if someone went up to her and told her they don't like nosey old women? Luckily my friend had the good sense to laugh and walk away, but I dare say it may have left her feeling a little put out for the rest of the day.

I'm not sure I will ever understand why women can have such amazing friendships and be so supportive of each other and then in the next breath display competitive and comparative behaviour that can only be damaging. Especially at times in our lives when we are most vulnerable.