Why Can't We Say We Don't Support Other Mums' Choices?

Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

I follow a woman on Instagram who does Mummy Wednesdays, which means she asks her followers which topics they want to share their opinions and beliefs on. One woman suggested the question: "How can we tell other mothers that what they're doing is wrong", to which she got the very loaded answer that why would you tell someone they're doing it wrong and not just show sisterly (or rather motherly) support, and that she (the influencer), for sure, wouldn't choose that as a topic. 

This exchange hasn't let go of me. While I do appreciate the fact that it's not nice nor helpful to give unasked advice to mothers (recently an old woman said, "oh isn't it time for gloves" when she saw Lily in the stroller, and I could barely bite back the response, "well, isn't it time you fell into a grave".), I still feel we have reached a point where everything anyone does or says needs to be supported and embraced. Criticising someone has become the anti-Christ move of our society - and I wonder whether that is partly because we're such an enabled and coddled generation. 

Another social media example. Recently a few lifestyle/mummy influencers shared their views on media consumption with their kids. One woman strongly stated that her son sometimes watches TV all day and that's OK, because there are just such days. Inwardly, I cringed, because I simply don't think that's OK. Which doesn't mean I necessarily think she's a bad mother, or that the circumstances didn't allow for veering off the usual road; however, I do have a problem with having to say that this is OK. 

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