The "J" word. The one that every parent hates.
Judgment.
Ugh.
I hate the idea that someone is judging me. HATE. They don't even have to say anything, and I'm already on the defensive.
I know, I know that it shouldn't matter. If I'm confident in what I'm doing, if I am happy with our life, I shouldn't care what people think.
But I do. I can't stand the idea that I might not be measuring up to someone else's standards, even if there's not an indication of that. It's almost comical.
So in the spirit of Jeff Foxworthy and his iconic "you might be a redneck" bit, I now present...
"You MIGHT be afraid of being judged"
If you spend the afternoon before the babysitter comes over scrubbing the house. So the fourteen year old girl you are paying to watch your kids won't judge you....
You might be afraid of being judged.
If you put a coat on your child, on a 55 degree day, for the twenty foot walk from the car to the library, just so the random people in the parking lot won't judge you....
You might be afraid of being judged.
If you extol the virtues of a free, warm playplace in the dead of winter and you don't really eat the food, when your three year old announces that she loves McDonald's...
You might be afraid of being judged.
If you feel compelled to explain that it's naptime, lunchtime, teething, or an "off day" whenever your kid is crying in a public place. Even though no one asked. Or even looked...
You might be afraid of being judged.
If you feel compelled to apologize for the messy backseat of your car to your child's preschool teacher in the pick up line. Even though she sees fifteen different backseats every single day, and has never once said a word...
You might be afraid of being judged.
If you cringe when your three year old tells the dentist that her favorite snack is "Fruit snacks!", even though she doesn't get them often....
You might be afraid of being judged.
If you are always ready to justify whatever you are doing....
You might be afraid of being judged.
I know. I know. And I know again. It shouldn't matter. But I'm a pleaser. It matters to me. So in the meantime, I'll just keep up the list!
Anything to add, readers? I'd love to have some contributions!
