Sanctimommy, Noun
A self-satisfied and condescending individual who promotes their parenting style through subtle yet critical remarks aimed at highlighting others’ perceived shortcomings.
Synonyms:
Know-it-all, Fun Vacuum, Overzealous Parent, Pretentious Parent
Physical Attributes:
Identifying a Sanctimommy based solely on appearance is challenging, as this behavior transcends race, gender, religion, and socioeconomic status. However, there are five common behavioral cues to watch for:
- Elevated eyebrows
- Pursed lips
- Pointing fingers
- Audible exhalations
- Tensed muscles
Typical Environments:
Sanctimommies thrive in various settings where they can share their unsolicited advice and highlight their own perceived superiority. Common places include:
- Parks
- Playgroups
- Grocery stores
- Retailers like Target (both in the parking lot and aisles)
- Parenting websites, especially those with comment sections
- Social media platforms like Facebook
- Daycare centers
- Schools (particularly during drop-off, pick-up, performances, or open houses)
- Birthday celebrations
Social Interactions:
Sanctimommies are inherently social and often position themselves at the heart of group discussions to dominate conversations. They possess a remarkable talent for steering nearly any topic back to their own parenting journey. Examples of their typical conversational behaviors include:
- “You should feel so blessed.”
- “My children have never behaved this way.”
- “I didn’t even bother to read that; it’s just ridiculous.”
- “I’ve never faced that; it’s absurd.”
- “Ugh, this is just dumb.”
Topics that Trigger Sanctimommies:
Certain subjects are known to provoke Sanctimommies to interject their parenting philosophies into discussions, such as:
- Any online parenting discussions
- References to vaccines, organic diets, screen time, or sleep training
- Acknowledging the challenges of parenting
- Hiring childcare services
- Nostalgia for life before children
- Expressing that one does not always feel “so blessed”
- Mentioning the desire for a midday glass of wine
- Maintaining a sense of humor about parenting
- Parenting without a well-documented philosophy
- Sharing humorous parenting content on social media
Caution:
Approach Sanctimommies with care. While they are not physically threatening, they often react unpredictably when their views are contested. Warning signs may include self-pitying behavior, preachiness, excessive capitalization in written communication, reliance on celebrity opinions in arguments, and denouncing the topic at hand as foolish.
For those seeking to understand more about parenting and related discussions, consider exploring resources like this excellent guide on fertility treatments or this comprehensive overview of home insemination. Additionally, Make A Mom provides authoritative information on home insemination kits that can be helpful for those interested in the subject.
In summary, Sanctimommies exhibit a unique set of behaviors and social tendencies that can be recognized in various environments. Their propensity for dominating discussions and critiquing others’ parenting choices is noteworthy, and understanding their patterns can be beneficial for navigating social interactions in parenting circles.