Dear Mammas, Let Us Promise To Never Judge Each Other!

Motherhood is an uphill battle, from conception to raising a human being; the journey is filled with small and big obstacles. Most of us do this effortlessly; in fact we do it so well that being a mother looks simple from the outside. Whatever said and done, its fulfilling, the smile on your child’s face when you make his favourite ice cream or when you give them permission to stay over at a friend’s, its ultimate.

This letter is addressed to all those fellow moms who judge me and other moms for their choices. If I chose to breastfeed or bottle feed my baby, it’s my choice. You don’t know what struggles I go through every day or what is best for my baby. Why do I get judged for the simple things that make my life and my child’s easy? Yes, I let him watch TV for an extra hour in the evening, it gives us both some space to breathe and let loose. You know what,I’ve started enjoying watching Peppa Pig much more than watching the news these days.

Don’t get me started on my child’s food habits. This is an area all moms like to go overboard with. I might be different, I might let him eat ice cream first thing in the morning on Sundays, it makes us start the day so much happier. The joy it brings to my house, it fills it up with positive vibes on a lazy Sunday. So I decide to pick joy over stress of feeding him a banana! But, no, I don’t judge you other moms for doing what suits you or seems right for you. To each, their very own.

Isn’t it easier to support each other withoutany judgements? I have a Mom tribe of my own, a group of fellow moms that have my back no matter what. We are very different, we have our unique ideas about parenting but we are catering to the needs of our children. We don’t advise each other, we rather laugh over our child’s antiques over a cup of coffee. And that makes life sweet, easier to get through every day.

When the judgement stops, the competition begins. My child got a 90%, my child learnt 4 languages, my child can recite shlokas by heart, it never ends. My idea about learning can be different, I want him to be able to make himself breakfast, make his own bed, be kind to animals and then focus on academics. I want him to grow up to be a decent human being who respects others and has compassion. You and I want different things for our children, but we both want the best for them. Isn’t that the right way to mother?

Every child is different, so is every mother and every home. If you believe in having a routine for your child, I believe in open ended days, we are both right. There isn’t just one way of bringing up a child, there are millions of rightones. There are enough people in our families and extended families who like to dish out advice every minute of every day, and they criticise us enough. We don’t need that from our peers, we need some unconditional support and a lot of laughs.

So, cheers to Mommy-hood! And this Mother’s day, let’s raise our wine glasses or a cup of tea, to every mom on this planet! Always remember, however tough, in the eyes of your child, no one does it better than you!