Moms, Let's Encourage

I've read many a blog post or website or caption that states something along the lines of, "I felt so guilty leaving my 8 month old/one year old/two year old at a daycare/preschool!" Well I'm here to tell you that I left both my children in childcare when they were 8 or 9 WEEKS old. That doesn't make me a bad mom. It doesn't make me a bad mom that I don't feel guilty about it either. I have to work. I would feel guilty if I stayed home and then we ended up homeless or starving. Too many times we, as mothers, judge the decisions other mothers make. I've heard (and said) "Oh my gosh. I would never let my child do that/act that way/say those things." Let's be honest, we can't control what our children do or say. I don't encourage my child hit or say bad words or be ugly to other children and adults, but he sometimes does. He's learning. I think we can all agree that there are some things that should never be deemed okay: leaving a child alone at home or in a car, giving a child alcohol, drugs, tobacco, etc, and cursing or degrading a child.
With that being said, motherhood is the most difficult job in the world. I have the utmost respect for stay-at-home moms. I hope that stay-at-home moms can also have respect for those of us who have to (or choose to) work. Let's not judge or criticize parents over those "hot button topics" like breastfeeding and staying at home. As a teacher, I've learned that you never know what someone else's home life is like. You can support breastfeeding or bottle feeding without making a mom who chose something different that you feel guilty or attacked. As moms, we are the only ones who understand how difficult our job is. We can describe and explain it to others, but it's not the same. So, since we have all made choices that we made not be proud of (ahem, French fries as a young kid), let's not judge each other. Let's encourage.