One mom wishes she had told that woman where to go.
It’s not uncommon for strangers to raise an eyebrow or offer unsolicited advice when they spot a child they believe is “too old” for a pacifier. However, few have likely experienced the jaw-dropping mom-shaming that occurred to Sarah Langley. In a shocking turn of events, Sarah recounted her experience on her blog that you won’t believe. Not only did a stranger feel entitled to critique her two-year-old son’s pacifier use, but she also had the audacity to remove it from his mouth!
Sarah was in the middle of a classic parenting moment: the dreaded shopping tantrum. While at a local grocery store, her son had a meltdown and demanded to leave. Using her mom skills, she skillfully distracted him and managed to complete her shopping. In a moment of what she now calls a “rookie mistake,” she let him play on one of those quarter-operated rides as they left the store.
Aside: Seriously, who thought those quarter machines were a good idea? And don’t get me started on those plastic choking hazard toys!
Back to Sarah’s story. “I made the (rookie) mistake of allowing him onto the ride as we left the grocery store. Everything was fine until I decided he had played long enough, and it was time to head home,” she explained. “As I dragged my now wailing child from the ride and into the cart, I pulled out his trusty pacifier, and just like that, the tears stopped, and we made our way toward the exit.”
She popped the pacifier into his mouth to soothe him, because let’s be real—that’s exactly what they’re for. Then, out of nowhere, an older woman approached them and did the unthinkable:
“Without warning, she reached out and snatched the pacifier from my son’s mouth while lecturing me about how he was too old for it and how I shouldn’t be such a bad parent. I was stunned into silence (as was my son), though I think he was more shocked that a stranger had invaded his space and taken his beloved pacifier away. Before I could even react, she walked off with it!”
She actually walked away with the pacifier! Oh, absolutely not.
To make matters worse, she had the nerve to circle back for more unsolicited commentary. At that point, Sarah swiftly retrieved the pacifier and popped it back into her child’s mouth. “Honestly, I cringe at the thought of not disinfecting it first, but there was something so satisfying about seeing her reaction as I did,” she shared.
It doesn’t matter how experienced you are as a parent or how many grandchildren you have—there’s no excuse for touching someone else’s child and taking their belongings. “What frustrates me the most is that the shock of the situation left me speechless. A complete stranger had the audacity to get so close to my son and take something from him without my permission,” Sarah lamented. “I pride myself on speaking up for myself, and yet I was left silent, filled with anger at the whole encounter.”
Don’t beat yourself up, mom. How can anyone prepare for such an absurd moment? It’s impossible. You froze. That’s a totally normal response to shock, and this situation was beyond bizarre.
“I still feel angry with myself for not standing up to that woman and telling her where to go. That lingering frustration has stuck with me for months,” she wrote.
We hear you, Sarah.
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In summary, Sarah’s experience serves as a reminder that parenting can bring unexpected and outrageous moments, especially when strangers overstep their boundaries.