A Word to the Parenting Advisors
Facebook User Nandini Rejita has a few things to say to the parenting advisors
This is a post by Ms Nandini Rejita put on her Facebook. She has a few things to say to the advisors on parenting :
“The parenting advisors:
- “Why is this baby crying so much? Mine never used to cry.”
Each child is different. They have different needs. There is no scale to measure that. Some babies may be anxious. Some may be hungry. Please make the mothers cry too with comments like these.
- “Why is this child not eating anything? Mine has no such issues .” This with a frown of disdain towards the mother .”
Children have food fussiness. Especially between 2 to 5. Some eat and some don’t eat. If they are active and have no malnutrition, give them and their mothers a break.
- “Why do you not give your child tea or coffee? I used to give tea or coffee and they are just fine“
Until 5 years a child should not be taking tea or coffee, says the WHO (who are better informed than the naysayer).
- “Why are you not putting Kajal in the eyes of your baby? Then her eyes will never be beautiful“.
Children are beautiful with or without Kajal. Kajal may cause allergies to newborn eyes and after all, it’s the mother’s choice. Let her decide what she wants. It’s her baby after all.
- “You cannot give a bath without applying oil. Vellam thaazhum (I don’t know how to translate this .. the person means, that water will get into the scalp or the brain 🙄🙄🙄 ?)
Our head has been designed in such a way that water has no way of getting inside 😂😂. If someone doesn’t want to apply oil to her baby’s scalp, so be it.
- “Why is your child sucking his thumb .. mine never did this … you should apply chenninayam ( a bitter herb ) to his fingers”
Up to 5 years of thumb-sucking is normal.
- Comments galore
“Look at this child, she is so thin. Aren’t you giving him anything to eat”
“Look at this boy, he is so fat. What are you giving him ?”
“Look at this baby . He is very dark and the parents are so fair”.
- And the ultimate “Pediatricians will say many things ….you cannot raise children based on their advice ..they just sit and give advice… But for me, I have raised three children and several grandchildren… I know best .”
Mother “pling”
Pediatrician “ double pling”.
These are all comments made to mothers which the hapless ones have narrated to me with sighs; or eye rolls, or tears ( based on the mother’s tolerance levels ).
Well, I myself have been there once.
So I commiserate with the poor girls and tell them to just turn a deaf ear and enjoy their time with their baby.
Can’t we give them a break? Seriously.”
-Nandini Rejita
