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In case you did not notice, when you went in public with your infant child, people were judging you. But, most of these people were non-parents. As I mentioned earlier, they have no idea what it is like to be a parent, so screw them. Other parents are much less likely to judge your parenting skills by your infant’s misbehavior because they have been in that same situation and understand how difficult it is.
With a toddler, things are different. Toddlers have their own personalities. Some aspects of this personality result from parenting approaches, but a significant portion of the personality is inborn. Yet, many parents do not realize this and will judge you as a parent for the way your child behaves.
If you have not already done so, it is time to grow a thick skin. It is the only way to survive as the parent of a toddler.
If you allow your worth and ability as a parent to be judged by those outside of you, then you will be disappointed and depressed often. Some of the worst judgment can come from family, including your own parents. No one knows what you are going through, so do not let them judge you.
Only you know if you are giving your best efforts as a parent and are taking responsibility for your child. If you are doing the best job of which you are capable, then you are immune to judgment, from other parents and from the divine. It is only effort and striving that matter, not results.
As for the judgments which will be made of you, most will be silent judgments in the minds of fools. But, sometimes the fool opens its mouth and tells you what it thinks. This is a critical moment. There are multiple ways in which to respond, each of which has its merits and drawbacks.
My personal favorite response is something along the lines of “shut the fuck up!” The merit is obvious and it will stop the judging. Potential drawbacks include the termination of long-term relationships and the initiation of a profanity-laced shouting match in front of your child. Still, if you have been looking for a way to end a toxic relationship, wait for the judgment and respond as stated above.
Another response is simply to ignore the judgment with silence. This can work if the person judging you is a person who enjoys confrontation. By ignoring the judgment, you destroy any power it might have had. But, often you will receive judging comments from strangers, so you will not know if silence is a good response. Often, silence will be taken by the speaker as a tacit acknowledgment of the correctness of their critique of your parenting.
If the person judging you has children and you have observed their parenting, you can get revenge by judging them. You can either spit a judgment back at them as they judge you or you can wait until a future moment and judge them, preferably in front of others. I am not one to shy away from revenge, but I think a tit for tat judgment war is just a tiresome and stressful experience for most parents.
A final response is to stand up, take your child, and leave the situation and then never speak to the judger again. This response works only with people you know. If it is a stranger who is judging you, the only real options are silence or telling the person to fuck off.
Judgment is something that every human does. It is something that we divine beings do as well. Judgment is why I have so many guests in my afterworld accommodations. You cannot escape judgment, so you should acknowledge it and respond to it immediately.