People criticizing a mother on her parenting skills is a very common thing for ages. Whenever any mother steps forward to do any small thing for the child, some people immediately start to judge and criticize them. These people may be her in-laws, neighbours, relatives, or even her own mother or husband. The major concern for the mothers is, how to deal with parenting criticism.
Quitting or ignoring is not really the solution to the problem. Parents need to stand up against the unsolicited advice and put their own opinions when it is really required. Every child is different and nobody can understand the child better than the parents. There are several ways to deal with parenting criticism. Some of them are mentioned below.
How to deal with parenting criticism from the in-laws
The first thing that can be done to deal with the criticism from in-laws is to speak up when required, keeping the tone respectful. The mothers, especially, should respond properly to the parenting advice and criticism coming from the in-laws. They should be positive and tactful while engaging in the conversation regarding parenting. They should very politely put their opinion over their unsolicited advice after thanking them for their interest and love for the child.
To avoid any problems with in-laws because of their constant criticism, you should just try to avoid the conversation. A smile along with a gesture of appreciation for their concern; after that, you can just change the topic. These can really prove to be one of the most effective ways to deal with parenting criticism.
Dealing with parenting criticism from other people
When other people advise you regarding your parenting skills, the best thing is not to encourage their words. If once you will agree to their advice or even nod your head to accept that their words are correct, it will further stimulate them.
The best ways to deal with parenting criticism, in this case, is to just convey them an indirect message from your actions that you are not interested. This is exactly how to deal with parenting criticism when it is coming from anyone who is not welcome to provide any pieces of advice or guidance. You can simply change the topic or pretend that you have some urgent work.
The best thing is to politely deny accepting any kind of advice from them. Never allow them to assume that their advice is very appreciable and helpful to you.
Involve your spouse in any conversation related to parenting
While working towards how to deal with parenting criticism, another strong tip is to allow your spouse to step into the conversation. There are many parents who criticize other parents. To deal with these types of people, both the parents should be alert and strong enough. For such parents who criticize other parents regarding their parenting skills, the answer should be straightforward, without any guilt.
Your husband can do the talking when it comes to your style of parenting. He can convince other people that both of them believe that they are doing the best for their child. Apart from this, he can also act as a saviour for his wife in front of his parents in case of any criticism from their side. These are also amongst the best ways to deal with parenting criticism. Involve the spouse in the whole scenario.
Some humour can also work in this case
While dealing with parents who criticize other parents, some humour can really work well in calming down the whole situation. Instead of feeling annoyed and angry, just try to take it as a joke. Respond in some humorous ways on the questions put up by people regarding your parenting. This will give an indirect message to the parents who criticize other parents, that their ideas are not appreciated. Not only this, humour will act as a perfect stress buster and provide some funny moments which can be really enjoyed.
Spending quality time with people who share positivity
It is very important to have some friends or well-wishers in life who really understand and care for you. They will be there for you when you are upset because of the criticism of your parenting from other people. Talking and sharing your experiences with them will probably make you feel better after a bad day. They will listen to you and motivate that you are doing the best for your child.
