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Feeling judged by friend

Today I was texting with my friend who is also a first time mom. Her son is a few months older than mine. I complained that a mom/baby yoga class was scheduled at 6 pm, which is exactly at the worst time for us.

"Working moms want to spend time with their babies after work," she said. Whoa. I'm a working mom too, even though I WAH most days. I know it's not fair to compare because everyone's situation is different, but I work my butt off too!

I also feel judged by her in other ways. She EBFs and I have to supplement. We started solids at 4.5 months with our peds recommendation, she did BLW at 6 months. They cloth diaper and we don't. I feel like she's always comparing "E is so skinny, L is chubby!". They are individuals with different genetics!

I feel sad about this because she's my only mom friend. Sigh. I need to find some more friends.

  1. JoJoGirl

    cantaloupe / 6206 posts

    Yes. New friends, stat. I would NEVER take a baby to a 6pm class, and I'm a WOHM too!

  2. mrsbubbletea

    nectarine / 2821 posts

    Comparisons drive me crazy. Especially about babies like that. Definitely try to find some new mom friends but I know that's easier said than done! Try to tell yourself she probably does those comparisons because of her own feelings of inadequacy and such. It's probably true!

  3. wrkbrk

    pomelo / 5084 posts

    Any chance she was agreeing with you? Like, working moms (both of you two) would never choose a 6pm class?

  4. gingerbebe

    cantaloupe / 6131 posts

    Yeap, new friends immediately. Literally ANGTFD. If you can't be on board with the idea that every family does what works best for them, I don't have time for your shenanigans. Fist bump!

  5. kiddosc

    grapefruit / 4278 posts

    I don't necessarily think that's a judgey statement... was there more to what she said. You could flip that conversation to make it sound like YOU'RE being the judgey one... that you would never keep you baby up that late to go to a yoga class.

    I think that it's really hard to discuss parenting with a mom that does things differently than you do without someone feeling judged, even if that's not the intent. Especially since, in general, FTM already second-guess their choices on their own. I would try to let this all roll off my back if possible...

  6. macintosh

    pear / 1750 posts

    @wrkbrk: nope, she said she'd love a class at 6pm. Good for you I guess.

  7. wrkbrk

    pomelo / 5084 posts

    @macintosh: oooo I see what the comment meant. Yeah then poop on her.

  8. macintosh

    pear / 1750 posts

    @kiddosc: I see what you're saying, but that's not where I was going with it. For me it's more of an intrusion on dinner, which pushes everything back, including my bedtime. I'm going to drop the conversation and hope it doesn't come back to this again.

  9. Truth Bombs

    grapefruit / 4321 posts

    @macintosh: As a full time WOHM it actually can be really frustrating that there are rarely classes/activities that work with my schedule. So my initial reaction would probably also be that I would love a 6pm class. And she may have just meant that moms who work outside the home have less flexible schedules than moms who work at home. I would try not to take her comments too personally as they are probably more reflective of her own situation than anything to do with you.

  10. BandDmommy

    pomelo / 5660 posts

    @macintosh: I don't think she was trying to be judgmental. I think she was just referring to her personal situation.

  11. Freckles

    honeydew / 7444 posts

    I guess I wouldn't consider that to be a judgmental comment? Perhaps her kid's bedtime is really late so she can swing the 6pm class? I agree with @kiddosc: that it's easy to misinterpret comments or feel judged when talking to a parent who makes different parenting choices.

  12. snowjewelz

    wonderful kiwi / 23653 posts

    Uh, I get home AT 6. Plus, what about dinner?! I can never go to a class at that time either! I am sorry it's always a comparison game with her

  13. MtnBiker

    cherry / 121 posts

    We all say stupid things... maybe she had a terrible day? But if she's like this all the time, that's a red flag.

    I've found in the sleep deprivation that I've reverted to the first grader mentality of finding superficial similarities and thinking we can bond over them... but , despite us both having babies at the same time and using the same diapers, bottles, and wipes; my friend's friend still drives me batty. You want people who feel confident enough in their choices that they respect yours.

  14. macintosh

    pear / 1750 posts

    Thanks for the support guys. I could comment on how hard it must be to have your kid in daycare every day, but that would be rude. I don't know what it's like to be her, and she doesn't know what it's like to be me. Am I lucky that I can work from home and spend extra time with my family? Yes. Is it easy? NO!!!

  15. NavyRN2012

    persimmon / 1447 posts

    @macintosh: While I think her comparisons of her kid with your suck (because they're always made to make the other person feel superior), I took the comment about the yoga class as "Hey I'm a working mom and we would like to do these classes with our kids as well". I get it. I'm a WOHM, and I feel like I can't put my kids in any classes because they are all during the day.

  16. kiddosc

    grapefruit / 4278 posts

    @macintosh: Well, whatever the reason is that it's late for you. I just don't see her comment as judgey... I've often complained that all the classes are in the middle of the afternoon on a weekday, so I can never participate because I work full time. I don't see how her saying the class would work for her has anything to do with how it doesn't work for you.

  17. JoJoGirl

    cantaloupe / 6206 posts

    I don't think that comment in isolation is horrible, but in the context of all the other things you said you feel she judges you about, I get it!

  18. My Only Sunshine

    persimmon / 1129 posts

    @Truth Bombs: Totally agree. I would LOVE if my area had more kid activities after 5 pm!

    @macintosh: If you're feeling judged by her, definitely limit your contact and reach out to some friendlier mamas. I would just try to keep in mind that not all parenting differences mean the parent who does it another way is judging you.

  19. BandDmommy

    pomelo / 5660 posts

    @macintosh: honestly I don't think she is being judgemental. But if her comments bother you, stop talking to her or talk to her less.

  20. macintosh

    pear / 1750 posts

    Sigh again. I guess I just feel like she lacks tact and says whatever is on her mind. Her comment on a photo of me pregnant: "your boobs look so small!" Wtf?

  21. mediagirl

    hostess / wonderful persimmon / 25556 posts

    @macintosh: sounds like she is inconsiderate. I'm sorry. I know just how hard it is to find mom friends so I know how hard it must be to struggle with your mom friend being this way. Some people just don't get it. (and as a WOHM, there is no way we would make a 6pm activity - when would we have our family meal??)

  22. KatieBklyn

    cherry / 188 posts

    I mean this in a super gentle way, but I wonder if some of the ways you feel judged by her are because of things she says or because you feel judged by the crunchy-mom-universe at large? (I hope that makes sense.)

    I've got a lot of crunchy mom friends who EBF, cloth diaper, do BLW at six months, co-sleep and so on... and for a while I felt super defensive about a lot of the choices I made. (We switched to exclusive formula feeding after struggling with low supply, started solids at 4 months, use disposable diapers and so on.) But eventually I realized that most of those friends weren't actually judging me at all - that they didn't think their choices were better or worse, just better for them and their babies. And that I also made the best choices for me and my baby, even if they weren't the "hip" mommy-blogosphere endorsed choices.

    Obviously I don't know what she's said or done to make you feel judged so I may be totally off base here, and if so please disregard! But as someone who's also made a lot of the same choices about feeding, diapering and so on, and as someone who's felt judged for those choices... I think it's worth reflecting on whether the judgment is really coming from her or if it's coming from a place of you internalizing the sort of internet mommy wars.

  23. Mamasig

    pomegranate / 3565 posts

    I don't know what her intentions are, but to me it doesn't matter. If she makes you feel crappy because of her comments (whether or not she intends to be judgemental), then you need to do something about it. Either tell her or back off from being friends. I get how hard it is to make mom friends. But ones that make you feel bad aren't worth it. I'm not confrontational so I would probably just stop making an effort with her. Not saying that is the best way to go about it, it's just what I would do.

  24. Kimberlybee

    grapefruit / 4997 posts

    @macintosh: She sounds like she has no filter on what she says but if she has other redeeming qualities as a friend, I would just ignore the things she says. We all say mean things from time to time. I would look into finding other mom friends too but also maintain her friendship. A good example is my SIL, she is a wonderful, loving auntie to my daughter but man the things she says are obnoxious sometimes. We just ignore her or laugh it off.

  25. birdofafeather

    pineapple / 12053 posts

    it can be hard when you have a mom friend who is doing everything "opposite" of the way you do it, whether you're sensitive to the differences or not, sometimes things can be misconstrued and sometimes the feelings of judgement go both ways! i have a friend who is always comparing her son to our other friend's son, but in a way that she feels bad about where her son is at developmentally, how BFing was going, etc. because of the comparison on her own side, not anything her friend is doing!

    the infant stage is a tough one because really no one has any clue what they're doing the first time around, some people are just better at pretending. i would definitely try to limit my contact with moms that are making me feel crazy or second guessing my choices and reach out to meeting more mommas and hopefully you find some you find more supportive, even if you're not doing things the same

  26. sapphire

    nectarine / 2173 posts

    @KatieBklyn: I agree with a lot of this sentiment. It's easy to feel like you might be judged when you are doing things differently, but perhaps you see it that way *because* you're nervous about it since you are doing things differently.
    To me it seems that your friend has no filter but from what you've said, I'm not sure that she is judging you...
    I also wouldn't do a 6pm class but that's nice that there is a class that a working mom could go to if dinner/bedtime didn't conflict.

  27. yoursilverlining

    eggplant / 11824 posts

    Why do you feel judged by the facts that she EBF and cloth diapers and you don’t? Like, I mean, does she say that formula is poison or that disposables are the devil? I don’t read your example of saying one baby is chubby vs. the other skinny as a judgment on food source or diapering choices; some babies are full of rolls and others not.

    I feel like sometimes people feel judged, but it’s themselves doing the judging (of themselves). Just because you do things differently doesn’t make everything a judgment on your parenting style.

    As a FT WOHM, I am always happy to see classes held outside of working hours, because it so very rarely happens. 6pm is a crap time for most families to hold a class, regardless of work status, but my first impulse would have been the same as hers. It's nice to see classes held at times other than "Tuesday at 11:30am"

    At the end of the day though, you sound like you are not happy in this friendship, so it’s probably time to move on. Which sucks.

  28. T.H.O.U.

    wonderful clementine / 24134 posts

    That specific comment doesn't sound judge mental but it sounds like she's a judgemental friend who has obviously hurt you in the past by comments. So I would let it drop and start backing away and finding new friends.

  29. catlady

    grapefruit / 4988 posts

    She probably just means that it might be nice for WOH moms to have some options that are outside of working hours. It doesn't really sound that judge-y to me. I WOH and would love to take a class with my LO (any class really) but they are always in the middle of the day on a weekday. (I do agree with you though, 6pm is a rough time!) Regardless though, sounds like maybe you should take a step back from your friendship, at least for awhile. Whether she is actually judging you or not, it seems like you are uncomfortable with her and that's a good enough reason to re-assess a friendship.

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