UltimateMama does not tolerate busybodies who offer unsolicited parenting advice.  Many times, those people who offer such advice have failed in some aspects of parenting themselves and feel the need to make themselves feel better…at your expense. 

Whether you are at a family gathering, a holiday party, a retail store, a parking lot, or an airport, you should be armed with a few direct yet helpful phrases to defer those who lurk and spew senseless parenting information.

– "Sounds like we have drastically different parenting styles".

– "Oh, your child walked, talked, and was potty-trained by 9 months, well then they must be going to Harvard".

– "I believe you have children already and I am not one of them".

– "I understand that you valued your sleep and declined to breastfeed but I am honored to nurse my child to provide nutrition and protect them from illness". See the following link for additional benefits http://www.womenshealth.gov/breastfeeding/benefits/

– "It may be okay for you to feed your children from a jar or take-out container but we prefer fresh ingredients".

– "You may support pacifiers but I like to investigate why my child is uncomfortable without an object in their mouth".  For an interesting story on the pacifiers see link: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_90877.html 

– "Using food as a reward may be your style but we find more constructive ways to reward our children".