been away for a bit… so my mil keeps giving me parenting tips i didn’t ask for. like the other day, she told me i should be doing more tummy time with kenji, who’s 9 mos now. thing is, my ped already told me we’re good on that front. i’m wondering, how do you guys handle it when your in laws just… won’t stop? do you politely listen and then do your own thing, or is there a way to set boundaries without hurting their feelings? fwiw i feel like i’m already walking on eggshells w/ my own anxiety and stuff, and this just adds to it. anyone else dealing with this?
pediatricians assess developmental milestones across a range of variables.
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MILs can be tough, what’s your ped say about her concerns 💉
Given the anxiety aspect you mentioned, it’s worth noting that boundary setting can be really tough when you’re already feeling overwhelmed. “walking on eggshells w/ my own anxiety and stuff” is a big part of this, and i think that’s what makes it hard to just politely listen and then do your own thing.
i’ve seen some studies on how repeated exposure to unsolicited advice can actually increase stress levels, especially in new parents. maybe one way to approach this is to frame your response as a “we’re doing what works for us” kind of thing, without feeling like you need to justify or explain every little detail.
ymmv, but it might be helpful to have a simple script in mind for when these conversations come up.