Raise your hand if you are a parent and have never been judged for anything in your life ever. Are you raising your hand? If yes, congratulations! You are quite a rarity, making up .00000001% of the entire parental population. To some degree, we are all familiar with what mom shaming feels like. There are so many choices that we make on a daily basis that we deem right for us, for our own unique situation that outsiders will have no idea about. The funny thing is judgment for those choices can come from anyone, at any time–perfect strangers, friends, colleagues, and family. Sometimes, the most vocal are even our own well-meaning mothers. Yet, nobody enjoys being judged. In a way, mom shaming feels a lot like an adult version of bullying. So how do we deal with this in a constructive way? Remember, our kids are watching, and it is up to us to set the example.

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