Let’s talk about judgement

One of my standout memories from being a new parent was a relative giving me the backhanded compliment that I was “actually quite a good mother, considering I worked”. I carried this judgement laden comment for quite some time, worrying about the choices I’d made as a parent, and it contributed to my reasons for setting up How Do You Do It. There was so much judgement, particularly for working parents about the different ways they chose to parent. I wanted to help people feel comfortable with the decisions they’d made about what success looked like for them – regardless of what anyone else thought.

What is judgement really about?

So, why do people judge and why does it trigger such strong emotions in us? Generally, it is because you are doing something different to the way they would do it, and in order to make their way right, they can feel a need to make your way wrong. In the short video below, I explore how to understand others’ judgement, the impact it has on you and the steps you can take to tune it out by tuning in more consciously to your own priorities and decisions.

See more resources for working parents here or watch other videos in this series about overcoming common working parent challenges.

Virginia Herlihy, CEO & Founder, How Do You Do It