As I stood on the BART train this morning trading glances and smiles with a beautiful girl about one-year-old, I had to stop the judgmental thoughts I had in my mind. Her mom, doing her best to wrangle her toddler and older child, sat on her cellphone. She handed her daughter a plastic bottle with apple juice in it. In those few moments, I thought, ‘is that bottle BPA free? Doesn’t she know that apple juice rots teeth? Does the baby look dehydrated or is that my imagination?’
I had to stop myself and realize that I was being judgmental. In that moment, I remembered my calling in life. I am a supportive person naturally. In my circle, if you find yourself down and out and I naturally want to pick you up and dust you off.
While introducing my blog to vendors at the expo I attended, I was often asked about the content of my blog. My answer was always simple and clear. I blog about empowerment. I blog to give single mothers, like myself, the confidence to move forward with whatever they choose. I referenced the Mommy Wars that give me the most angst. I don’t understand why we are fighting over the bottle or the breast nor do I get why working or staying at home is worth warring over. After all, aren’t we all just trying to raise functioning adults who can fend for themselves? There is no doubt that we all need support, but criticism seems to run rampant these days.
Our judgements and advice, often well-meaning, is akin to our intrusive relative or friend who knows just how to raise our baby.
Single. Mommy. Fabulous 