Oh how I wish people that don't have kids would stop 'helping' or offering 'suggestions' or even ranting about or to people that do have kids. Believe me when I say that you DO NOT KNOW until you have LIVED IT. Don't worry, I know there will be plenty of negative feedback from this little gem. Don't worry, your opinion probably doesn't mean much to me.
There, I've said it. I've called them out and I don't even feel bad. As a matter of fact, I feel better.
I love my children dearly. Like most parents, I believe that my children are smarter, funnier, more adorable, and more loving than anyone else's kids. I know I'm right, and that's just all there is to it. I also know that they are obnoxious boogers when they want to be...but that is for me to say, not you...you do not get to vote on that subject. It is my job to handle their jackassery and I certainly don't need non-parent assistance as I figure this out as I go along...because, believe me, you make up the rules and learn the game as you go along.
I see it all the time...in stores, blog posts, Facebook status updates, and even in my own backyard once upon a time. Because my filter quit working when I was pregnant with my first little Bug, I stopped that shit right in it's tracks. You don't have a kid? Awesome for you...you don't get to assist unless I ask, otherwise assume you know nothing. I know it is crude...and there are a small few, select folks that don't have kids that provide opinions or suggestions that don't send me in to an adult version of a tantrum. However, the difference between them and the folks that I'm referring to now is the respect factor. They respect me, my children, my family, and my position. When the offer ideas, it isn't in a degrading "My God, you just have no idea what you are doing!" sort of way, it is in a "I know you're running out of ideas and I really want to help." sort of way and usually with a glass of wine attached and an offer to help with bedtime. Love you guys. LOVE. Seriously.
I don't care if it is feeding, shots, general parenting, discipline, electronics, school, or anything else, until you have a child of your own that depends on you for everything and you are the sole person responsible for the health, well being, education, and livelihood of another human being (or people if you have an involved second parent...as I am luck to have), you do not get to comment, judge, make suggestions, or ridicule a parent for anything that they are doing (unless it is endangering the child).
In case you were wondering, parenting is like everything else...parents make mistakes. I let my kids drink Coke every now and again and they both started solid foods at 3 months regardless of the recommendations. We observe standard vaccination schedules, which many would argue is a mistake. There are days when I let them watch too much TV, play on their Kindles all day long, or (God help me because this is gonna really kill some of y'all) I let them play with my phone in the store to keep them occupied. I've been known to let them survive for a day on just Cilf bars and milk, leave school early for an event that is in no way related to academics, and play outside all day without sunscreen. All of these things are decisions that I made. I was well aware of the possible repercussions, but I chose to do it anyway. They could end up obese, diabetic, antisocial from the extra screen time, mistakenly dialed China or 911 when they played with my cell, or ended up with sunburn from exposure.
Sometimes nothing happens. My kids are healthy, if a little underweight at times. They have only really been sunburned once (maybe twice, but I can't remember it so it doesn't really count). Nobody is antisocial and, thankfully, I've had no cell phone bills for China or angry 911 operators to deal with so far. But it's out there, it's gonna happen, and when it does there will be a child-free person nearby just waiting to explain why my decision was a poor one or ranting on their Facebook pages or blogs about how parents just have no clue. If I'm lucky, they'll do it online where I won't see it...but when they do, I can assure you that there is a 'friend' on their Facebook or a 'follower' on their blog that will take offense because they will know that they truly have not basis or support for this soap box that they've climbed up on.
Before you ask, yeah, I get the irony in my ranting post compared to their ranting post...it's at least half the reason that I decided to write this thing anyway!
Kids make mistakes. Parents make mistakes. Guess what? We are all human. YOU have made mistakes...one of them is counseling parents when you have no background, but there are others. I am sure of it. So when you are angry because I hand my kid a cell phone in Target to stop the constant barrage of questions (you do not know the feeling of an exhausted brain until your 4 year old wants to have a serious, in-depth discussion about time travel and the possibilities of parallel timelines, it's properties, ramifications, and technicalities) or when you see my kid eating a Snicker's bar and drinking a Coke while Netflixing 'White Collar' on their Kindle, feel free to keep your opinions, suggestions, and comments to yourself because if you share them, you can not be guaranteed that I will keep my mouth shut.
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