Everyone has their own parenting style - but as long as your child is happy and healthy, it shouldn't matter how you go about your day-to-day life. But one mum ended up being shamed by a complete stranger after trying to keep her child from running into traffic in a busy car park.
She explained how she "foolishly decided" to go to Target with her two-year-old and one-month-old to pick up some things she needed for the house. While she was expecting the outing to be challenging, she didn't think another shopper would approach her to criticise her parenting skills. The mum said: "My toddler is experiencing full blown terrible twos, she is very stubborn and independent. Things have only gotten worse since her little brother has been born, which I expected.
"One of the things she does is not want to hold my hand, so if we are on the street or anywhere where cars may be around, I have to watch her like a hawk."
She went on to explain how she was walking through the car park toward the shop with her one-month-old in his pram and her toddler walking alongside them.
Everything was going smoothly until her toddler decided she wanted to take her coat off - but became frustrated with herself when she struggled to do so.
"First, she decides she doesn't want her jacket, but won't let me take it off for her. She wants to do it herself, but is struggling," she added in a resurfaced Reddit post.
"I just let her try until she decides she can't do it and needs help, but there is a lot of crying and whining in between, so she is already in a bad mood."
"After her jacket is off, she decides she wants to walk in the middle of the street, and there is a car coming. I ask her to come close to me and closer to the parked cars.
"She doesn't listen, just giggles and walks even closer to the street."
Since there was a car driving toward her daughter, the mum grabbed her by the arm and pulled her back on to the pavement.
The mum said: "I didn't hurt her or abuse her, but she obviously didn't like it. She starts throwing a huge fit.
"At that point I grab her surfboard style and carry her to the store. I wasn't going to tolerate that and let her run wild in the street.
"Well, some lady saw this whole exchange and yells at me 'I just saw you hit your daughter. People are watching, you know'."
Annoyed by the stranger's comments, she added: "First of all, I never once hit her. I may have seemed a little rough when I pulled her arm, but the other option would have been to let her get hit by a car.
"Secondly, I have a baby in a carrier. It's not like I can really pick her up the way I normally would.
"And lastly, if she was screaming, it was not because I had hurt her, it was because she didn't get her way so she was throwing a fit.
"I am already struggling to maintain my sanity with a crazy two-year-old and a newborn baby, I don't need some random person to criticise my parenting."
After the mum's Reddit post resurfaced online, even more parents started sharing their opinions on the situation, with some even commenting on how they've been "mum shamed" in the past.
One user said: "My daughter - 18 months at the time - had a meltdown in Walmart at one point, my husband finished checking out while I took her outside.
"I had to grab her arm and pick her up because she tried running away. I held her as she lay stiff as a board, screaming her head off, and I'm six months pregnant (showing badly) and trying to waddle her outside.
"A lot of people gave me looks and a security guard actually followed me - didn't approach me though.
"People are just rude and judgemental. Ignore them - I'd rather grab my child by her arm than have a car almost hit her. You did nothing wrong."
Another user added: "Some people have so little going on in their lives that they need to get all up in everyone else's business.
"They've got these cute leashes that double as kid backpacks. I use those for my kids - aged five, four, four, and three - and they've saved us a few times."
A third user said: "People are such jerks. I’m sorry this happened to you. I would have been tempted to yell at that person 'Would you have preferred that I just let the car that was coming just run her over?' You’re brave for making the trip to target honestly."
Do you have a story to share? Email paige.freshwater@reachplc.com.
