Thursday's blog project brings you the following topic: "trying walking a mile in their shoes" is a saying peole use when someone is being judgment about life circumstances they've never experienced before. For our next topic talk about a time you finally experienced circumstances you never had before which helped you understand what someone else was going through. What effect did that experience have - Were you more sympathetic towards that person? More humbled? Or, did it not change your opinion at all?
I try VERY hard to never say never. It seems when ever I say I would never do that, guess what I end up doing like five minutes later? Yeah, what I said I wouldn't.
I remember talking to a friend when my kids were really small she was criticizing her sister for giving her kids candy to get them to be quiet. I, feeling very high and mighty, said I could never imagine doing that. Enter Sam, he would cry all the time when he was a baby. I would give him lollipops to get him to stop crying. I would shove a sucker in my baby's mouth to have a few minutes of peace and quiet.
Sam cried for most of the first 18 months of his life. He was allergic to milk and the milk was eating his stomach. He was in pain. I didn't know. I didn't know what to do. I couldn't make him stop crying. Some days I wanted to make him stop crying, and I would give him candy.
I am the mother who does what she needs to do in the moment to make it to the next moment. When I see other moms trying to make it through, I remember my high and mighty belief that I wouldn't make give my kid candy to make him shut up. I try and stop, smile at them, and tell them that they are going to be ok. That they are going to make it. I have walked a mile in those shoes.
That moment sticks with me. I try very hard to not judge what other people are doing. I may not think it would be something I would do, but one never really knows what they will or won't do until they are in the situation. I try and assume that everyone is doing the very best that they can do with the information and skills that they have at that moment. That they too are just trying to make it to the next moment. Well, I am done, Elvis says it best really...
I try VERY hard to never say never. It seems when ever I say I would never do that, guess what I end up doing like five minutes later? Yeah, what I said I wouldn't.
I remember talking to a friend when my kids were really small she was criticizing her sister for giving her kids candy to get them to be quiet. I, feeling very high and mighty, said I could never imagine doing that. Enter Sam, he would cry all the time when he was a baby. I would give him lollipops to get him to stop crying. I would shove a sucker in my baby's mouth to have a few minutes of peace and quiet.
Sam cried for most of the first 18 months of his life. He was allergic to milk and the milk was eating his stomach. He was in pain. I didn't know. I didn't know what to do. I couldn't make him stop crying. Some days I wanted to make him stop crying, and I would give him candy.
I am the mother who does what she needs to do in the moment to make it to the next moment. When I see other moms trying to make it through, I remember my high and mighty belief that I wouldn't make give my kid candy to make him shut up. I try and stop, smile at them, and tell them that they are going to be ok. That they are going to make it. I have walked a mile in those shoes.
That moment sticks with me. I try very hard to not judge what other people are doing. I may not think it would be something I would do, but one never really knows what they will or won't do until they are in the situation. I try and assume that everyone is doing the very best that they can do with the information and skills that they have at that moment. That they too are just trying to make it to the next moment. Well, I am done, Elvis says it best really...
i agree. i hate when parents judge other parents about stuff. especially when it gets super personal, like about nursing vs. giving bottles. some people make rude comments to my friend about it and she gets so upset. she knows i can relate about it and i am able to validate her. :) the only time i get involved is when someone else's kids are rude to me or mean to my kids. especially in my house!
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