One mum's MOVING letter to strangers who called her 'irresponsible'

 

If you’ve ever felt judged for your parenting choices, spare a thought for this mum.

 

Sammi Ovington regularly endures negative, judgemental comments from complete strangers when she’s out with her child – who has autism, pica and hypermobility syndrome.

 

But she’s had enough now, and she’s fighting back via Facebook. The English mum posted a photo of her daughter Skye on the social media site on February 29^th, and mentioned all the strangers she met that day who disapproved of both her and her daughter’s behaviour.

 

“To the lady in Paperchase telling me Skye was naughty, I’m irresponsible and I shouldn’t give her things before I’ve paid for them, thanks for your input,” she wrote.

 

 

“Pica is a disorder where she feels the uncontrollable need to eat non-edible things. Skye’s thing is paper. I’m sorry she ate the barcode before we paid but she isn’t naughty and I am not irresponsible.”

 

That same day, she was judged unfairly yet again, but this time by a shop assistant.

 

“To the member of staff in Wilko, no I wouldn’t rather take my child who is in the middle of a meltdown outside and come back in a minute. I think that’s what you would rather me do and I am disgusted with your attitude.”

 

“To the people just staring at me, whispering to each other and the blatant judging of my parenting, I hope your children don’t have bad days like this.”

 

Incredibly, she had a second shop assistant upset her in a similar way within hours of the first.

 

 

“And to the old lady in Sainsbury’s who told me Skye was too old to be in a buggy and should be walking, thank you for your input. Skye has hypermobility syndrome. Walking long distances for her is painful. So she goes in a buggy when she is too tired to save her little legs from hurting.”

 

She finished the post saying she had never felt judged by so many people in one day.

 

“The noise of builders, cars, the beeping to cross the road and music in the shop was all too much for Skye,” she said. “She dealt with it the only way she knows how. To cover her ears, shake and cry. She was scared. She was upset. And she was panicking. She was NOT being naughty.”

 

Sammi’s post has been shared more than 4,000 times in five days. 

 

 

SHARE if you know what it’s like to be judged as a mum.