One Reddit parent (we'll call her "K") has had it up to here with her nagging in-laws—but what to do?
Specifically, according to the original rant thread, they've criticized her parenting skills, offering passive-aggressive or upsetting comments like, "Baby has gotten used to being carried around, how bad" or "Aww, baby does not like her paternal aunt"—even "Mommy is doing such dangerous things with baby" when spending time together. (The "dangerous" comment was in reference to the six-month-old's mom supporting the baby's efforts to sit up in an adult chair while fully supervised). Even worse, it sounds like K's in-laws complain about her and the baby's activity level to her spouse. Sounds rough.
Here's the original thread below from K. How would YOU handle this situation?
"In general, they are all right people, honest. But I get the impression that their favorite pastime is to complain about my daughter, 6 months old. This has been going on ever since she got out of the "potato phase."
Of course, they coo and kiss and adore her. They do love her, but in contrast they constantly criticize her behavior. In a baby voice.
"Aww, baby does not like her paternal aunt" "aww, all baby wants to do is cry and sleep and stick to mommy" "baby has gotten used to being carried around, how bad" And so on.
Now it would be fine if someone said it once or twice every time we meet. But every f**king person says it multiple times every single time we meet, now that adds up.
In fact, even when I try to bring my daughter into a positive light, they manage to say something negative.
One time, I wanted to demonstrate my child's ability to sit, so I sat her down on my seat and stayed next to her while hovering my hands.
Immediately I got to hear: "Mommy is doing such dangerous things with baby."
Wow. I think I am a saint for not giving the slightest of flinch upon hearing those words. Inside though, I was infuriated.
Basically, I feel that they constantly make me feel like a bad parent by their onslaught of pointless remarks. And worse, they keep criticizing a little kid who can only express herself by the spectrum of laughing and crying.
Of course she is not going to consider your feelings if you are too loud and in her face.
Of course she is going to express discomfort if you force hard kisses on her.
Of course she is going to cry and reach for me if she is tired and three people are trying to get her to smile at the same time.
She is not the same as her rambunctious cousins. She is sensitive and curious, she prefers more peaceful surrounds, she is learning how to cope with stimuli. She is not a toy. She is human and she has her likes and dislikes.
So complain all the f**k you want, but she is not going to be molded into a 3 year old energetic boy that you expect her to be.
But that is not all, no. They don't just complain about her. They also have to complain to my husband about me defending my own daughter."
To see responses to this thread or leave a comment yourself, visit it here.
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