Why are we still criticizing the way other moms parent in 2024? That's the question mom Shannon Willardson is asking. Willardson, a mom of three, shared a video on TikTok addressing the "shaming" she received on social media for letting her 7-year-old daughter use a pacifier to soothe herself. In the video, she defends her decision, reminding people that you can't judge based on what you see.
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The quick video is just Willardson and her daughter having a cuddle.
"POV: the internet shaming me for giving my 7-year-old a pacifier even though she's not typically developing," Willardson wrote, asking, "Why is everyone being weird towards me?"
"Fact: different 'rules' apply for different-needs kiddos. Developmentally my daughters are under the age of 1, so it’s not inappropriate for them to have a pacifier – especially because they significantly help to comfort them. All of their doctors, PT’s & OT’s agree!" she captioned the post.
Willardson's daughters have an extremely rare genetic condition called congenital disorder of glycosylation (CDG), which has a lot of variations and results in developmental delays. In other videos, she's explained that her daughters are nonverbal and are fed using feeding tubes. The girls have an incredibly rare form of CDG. Willardson explained that fewer than 20 people have ever been diagnosed with their type of CDG.
Many people in the comments section of the video immediately came to Willardson's defense and praised her choice.
"14 year old not typically developing daughter here and she can have that paci forever!" one person wrote.
"I am a 26yr old with a binxky bc of how bad my anxiety is. I am also autistic. I give my children one. Way to go mom! U r doing great!" another comment read.
"Soon it’ll be the norm to NOT make judgments based on physical appearances," one person wrote, to which Willardson replied, " I sure hope that’s the case!"
Despite her explanation, there were still plenty of people in the comments section who passed judgment veiled as concern for her daughter's well-being.
"That’s the worst case of pacifier mouth I’ve ever seen. You think you’re soothing her but you’re doing more harm in the long run," one comment read.
"Wouldn’t that like really affect her teeth?" another comment asked.
