Unsolicited advice is bad.
Unsolicited (and unwanted) advice from a total stranger? Well, that’s definitely worse.
And one mum was left feeling embarrassed when she found herself on the receiving end of some unsolicited advice when she took one of her daughters to the doctor.
The big error in question? The mum-of-two had put her daughter’s hair in a ponytail.
Maya Vorderstrasse took to Instagram to vent about the experience.
She began the post:
“THE NERVE of some people.
“I went to the pediatrician with Hazel and this woman sitting across from me in the waiting room got up, walked over to me and snarkly said:
“‘You shouldn’t put your daughter’s hair up in a ponytail. When you take it down, it will rip her hair out, it will never grow back and she will be bald.’ (WHAT?!)”
It’s a fairly bold (and out there) statement to come up with, and the stranger decided to leave it at that – leaving Maya embarrassed and “feeling horrible about myself.”
She continued:
“Just like that she got up and left, leaving me embarrassed in front of strangers and feeling horrible about myself.
“I felt the need to explain myself, and that they all needed to know that I use a certain type of rubber band, and I don’t make it tight and that I’m so careful but GUESS WHAT?
“I don’t owe her ANYTHING. Her erroneous judgement will not guilt me into thinking that I am a bad mother.
“She doesn’t know me. There is a difference between caring for the safety of a child when they are in actual danger, and to shame and humiliate a mother because you think you know better than her.
“Don’t spread hate. Be supportive. Be nice. Be positive and encouraging. That’s what we need as a community of women working so hard to raise decent human beings.”
Mums were quick to sympathise with what had happened – and many of the commented that the stranger had been way out of line.
One person said:
“That’s ridiculous! I put my daughters hair in a ponytail all. The. Time and she has plenty of hair.
“People really should just keep to themselves.”
Someone else commented:
“Like, what in her brain said, I should definitely get up and have these words come out of my mouth?
“I do not understand. Mothering is hard enough without other people criticizing you!”
