There’s always that one parent who likes to impose their personal experiences and opinions on others, usually by saying “Oh, wait!”
When you’re trying to vent about your parenting woes, there’s nothing more frustrating than someone who doesn’t actively listen, preferring to generalize about each child’s personality based on the age group they’re at.
“Oh, you think this Bad age? Wait until they are XYZ! Then It’s such a shock to the fans!
no thanks!
One mum wants to normalize asking parents what they are doing forward Launch personal rants about their children, pointing out that every child and every parent is different. There are no universal experiences when it comes to parenting for certain age groups.
“So, when people ask me how old my kid is, I say, ‘Oh, he’s three.’ I get one of two responses. Either, ‘Oh, that’s such a sweet age. You must be Love it,” or, “Well, it can be hard at this age, but wait until he’s x years old. It’s only going to get worse. As a parent, those two things are really hard to hear.
“Yes, this age can be fun, beautiful, and adorable, but it can also be difficult.”
She went on to say that when people comment on her son’s age, those comments bleed into her feelings as a mother.
“It would make me sad to hear people say, ‘This was such a great era, you must have loved it,’ and if I didn’t love it.” On the other hand, if people say, ‘Things are only going to get more Oops’, that doesn’t help much either.
Instead, Sam suggests that when asking parents how old their kids are, follow up with them on how they’re doing, how they’re progressing, etc. rather than commenting on some common nonsense about how certain kids behave at a certain age (i.e., the “terrible twos” , “three years old”), ETC.
Her video drew mixed reactions, with some users pointing out that their point was a good one, while others agreed with hers.
“I know this is hard to hear. But we want to prepare you,” one user said.
Another assured: “It will get better. 💙”
Of course, some people have well-intentioned suggestions and opinions about what to do next as a parent, but why don’t we let each parent experience their child in their own way, in their own time? Some parents don’t need to be reminded to “cherish the little moments” or start worrying about how awful those teenage girls are. Mind your own business!
