There Is No Perfect Parent
Who saw the Today show on TV yesterday morning? Those who did, probably saw the segment about ‘Mom Shaming’. Chrissy Tiegen has taken on a social media battle about leaving her newborn child at home alone while she and her husband, John Legend, go out for dinner. Critics are shaming and judging Chrissy for this parenting decision.
That segment was immediately followed by a new study that claims that dogs do not like getting hugs. I couldn’t help but to chuckle and link the two show segments together. I now imagine that there will be many who ‘shame’ (ie judge) those who hug their dogs.
Do Pet Owners Judge Others?
As a parent and pet guardian, I can easily say that pet parent shaming happens just as often – if not more. We are constantly judging others for how they care for their pets. Did you adopt or did you go through a breeder? Did you adopt a puppy or an older dog? What food do you feed your pet? Do you subscribe to Cesar Millan’s training philosophy or do you follow Victoria Stilwell? Do you prefer small dogs or big dogs? It even spreads beyond species preference – are you a dog or cat person? You can rest assured if you’re not judging someone about their pets – you’re being judged about yours.
Unfortunately, shaming and judging does not stop at the individual level. It spills over into organizations. Rescue organizations that started because of their overwhelming amount of compassion can be quick to judge other organizations’ methods and ethics.
Before You Shame……
Ironically, we typically judge those who we are most similar with. Think about it – most of the people “shaming” Chrissy are parents too. Also when a person is happy and secure with themselves, the less likely they are to engage in judging others.
So when we shame people out-loud and through social media, what are we really telling people about ourselves?
