Social media is a valuable resource for new parents, but sometimes moms and dads post nasty comments on their favorite forums.
When one mother asked for advice on baby pacifiers online, she frowned. A ruthless commenter said her daughter was "going through a rough road."
Her Facebook post in question was shared on theS**t Mom Groups Say subreddit. Here, Reddit users make fun of the often ridiculous landscape of parenting support groups.
In a screenshot of a Facebook post, the anonymous mother wrote:
"A Tommy Tippy binky is not as aesthetically pleasing as a Bibbs or Friggs binky," she continued.
She asked the group if they knew of a "nice-looking binky" who had the same nipple shape as Tommee Tippee.
The mother even included a picture of Binky that her daughter "refusing to be photographed."
The trolling started immediately. A Reddit user who shared a screenshot of the post title wrote, "Please help, my stupid baby is a real person, not a pretty photo prop."
"Oh, Binky I didn't know it would comfort you," read one stern comment.
Several of her Reddit users said they were worried about her mother's long-term relationship with her daughter.
"This woman's future is an epic power struggle," wrote one. "Middle school is going to be a nightmare for both of them."
"This kid is definitely going to have a tough road," agreed another commenter. "My mother and I didn't have the same clothing style, so she still hasn't 'forgiven' me."
"I'm very worried about what will happen to young children who are very likely to want to be influencers," said one concerned parent. I've seen them get upset and ask their mothers to stop taking pictures and videos, but they refused and just said, 'How cocky!'"
Plenty commenters echoed that sentiment, and were particularly critical of the money and effort troubled mothers were spending to get the right "look" online.
One parent I had the opposite problem, but I downplayed it in the comments.
``My daughter only had these aesthetically pleasing things.
And reformed "aesthetic moms" talk about their own parenting experiences, and having a baby gives them a sense of the baby's toys and gadgets. We talked about how it changed our minds about buying.
"As a new mom, I thought I could 'coordinate' her accessories and things to my liking," she confided. After all, she added, "I had a baby...the baby didn't have me!"
Ultimately, however, it was difficult to find a product that was both stylish and met all the practical needs of a family.
"I've found a product line/style that I like, but they always have one item or product, and they come in terrible shapes, sizes, or colors that don't match all of them. I had to, otherwise," she said.
The mother said that while she became wise and let go of the need to have the "right look" of baby products, the mother they were mocking might never forgive.
"Parents also have awkward personalities before they have children," she wrote. "You don't always see it."
