Psychology Lecturer Reveals the Dangers of Mom Shaming and Its Impact on Mother's Mentality

• 11 Mar
• 2022

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Psychology Lecturer Reveals the Dangers of Mom Shaming and Its Impact on Mother's Mentality

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• By Uswah Sahal
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In recent years, awareness of the importance of mental health has increased, especially among millennials and Gen-Z. This awareness also includes various forms of behavior that can influence it, one of which is mom shaming.

Dewi Ilma Antawati, a Psychology Lecturer at the University of Muhammadiyah Surabaya (UM Surabaya) explained that mom shaming is a popular term that refers to the behavior of judging, criticizing, or embarrassing someone with the status of a mother regarding decision making, abilities, or things done in parenting.

"Criticizing a mother's choice to become a housewife or a career woman, the shape of a mother's body, the choice of delivery method, the choice of breastfeeding or formula feeding, the child's body shape to the method of parenting is a form of mom shaming," explained Ilma Friday (11/3/22)

Ilma added that mom shaming can be done consciously or unconsciously, directly or through social media. Several surveys show that the perpetrators of mom shaming are the people closest to the mother, starting from parents, in-laws, and close relatives.

"If this behavior is allowed to continue, it will have a negative impact on victims, such as loss of self-confidence, anxiety and stress about parenting, declining physical health, and triggering post partum depression. What's worse, it can also have an impact on the growth and development of children through the mother's behavior, "he said again.

Furthermore, Ilma added the perpetrators of mom shaming are those who have low empathy. In the context of mom shaming, the perpetrator justifies the standards of his own values and behavior, especially in terms of parenting with the aim of gaining a sense of self-worth that he does not have and reducing his inferiority.

Meanwhile, to overcome the negative effects of mom shaming, a mother can organize her thoughts to stay positive, namely by focusing on the positive things that have been done, accepting that no one is perfect, being willing to continue learning to develop herself as a mother, and not allowing negative comments. from other people regulates how mothers make decisions or choices in parenting.

“Finally, it is important for families to have awareness that family is the best support system, starting from husbands, family, close friends, to the mother's community. If that happens, a person can also get professional help, such as counselors, psychologists and doctors," he concluded.