When I see or hear claims that bring up feelings of guilt or inadequacy in my parenting, here’s what I ask myself:
First of all, does what I’m hearing make sense? A lot of claims are too broad or vague to really be possible. If what I’m hearing feels too broad, I try to move on or dig in to find out what nuance is missing. This applies both to info that goes against and supports my stance on something like screens (or other parts of parenting).
Is this info trying to help and empower my parenting, or is it trying to make me feel bad or scared? If info is trying to scare me, the person creating it might have a motive other than helping me be a better parent. If I feel informed and empowered then I likely got enough info and actionable steps to feel like I can make a change for my family.
Finally- is the person making this claim trying to sell me something? Fear sells, unfortunately. If a claim is making me feel bad and the person making it is selling something that will potentially fix the problem, then maybe the info is just meant to scare me into buying something. What do you consider when encountering advice on social media?
