I recently came across a captivating article that really struck a nerve. It was brief and straightforward, but the ensuing comments were absolutely wild. The piece was penned by a mother who openly stated that she had no plans to take her child’s pacifier away any time soon. Sounds harmless, right?
You’d think so, but the reactions were outrageous. It felt as if she had declared something drastic, like, “I let my child play with knives” or “My kid is a tiny tyrant and I encourage it.” In reality, she merely mentioned her toddler’s pacifier use. Why did that cause such a stir? After all, it doesn’t harm anyone and is of no consequence to the majority. Yet, an overwhelming 95% of the comments were filled with other moms going off about her parenting choices.
I scrolled through comment after comment… “That’s appalling!” “A three-year-old with a paci?!” “This is over the top! Who does that?!” “Hope you can afford braces!” “Get ready for dental issues and speech delays!” That’s when I decided to jump into the fray and share a picture of my daughter, Lily, on her fourth birthday, proudly sporting her beloved pacifier.
It was like throwing fuel on the fire. I find it utterly hilarious that adult women are so triggered by a child’s pacifier. Sure, I hardly let Lily use it in public (maybe during long car rides), and it’s reserved mostly for naps and bedtime. In that particular photo, she hadn’t even left her bedroom yet. Is it really necessary to justify it? She’s four years old and still enjoys her paci. That’s all there is to it.
We’re well aware of the orthodontic implications, considering our other three kids have had braces. But here’s the kicker: Kids who don’t use pacifiers or suck their thumbs can still end up needing braces. Why? Because teeth don’t always come in perfectly. I was a thumb-sucker until I was 11 and never needed braces, plus I articulate just fine. And despite Lily still using a pacifier at four, she shows no signs of speech issues. But honestly, why should that concern anyone else?
Why can’t moms focus on their own parenting instead of critiquing others? When will we reach a point where we can share experiences online without facing judgment or a barrage of “what-not-to-dos”? It’s getting old fast.
I don’t mind if you let your child wear makeup or if your third grader has a smartphone. I’m not bothered if your son refuses to wear a jacket or if your three-year-old isn’t potty trained. We should be investing our energy into our own families. It takes a lot of extra time to worry about someone else’s parenting, but it takes no effort to simply focus on our own.
So let’s allow parents to raise their kids as they see fit, provided no one is harmed in the process. We’re usually getting just a brief snapshot of someone else’s life, and we have no idea what their circumstances are. My four-year-old with a pacifier isn’t a threat to anyone, especially when it helps her feel safe and sleep well at night.
And if anyone has an issue with it? They can deal with it.
Summary
In the world of parenting, sharing photos can provoke unexpected reactions. One mom faced a storm of criticism for allowing her preschooler to use a pacifier, highlighting how judgmental others can be about parenting choices. The author humorously reflects on societal expectations and urges parents to focus on their own families instead of critiquing others.