01 February 2023 , 15:44
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If you're a parent and have ever been stopped in the street by a stranger who demanded you put a coat or a hat on your baby, then you'll know how frustrating it can be - especially if they don't know the full story.
Whether it be for health reasons, practicality, or just because your toddler simply refuses to keep a hat on their head, there are many reasons why they may not always have hats and coats on, but that doesn't mean you're not doing your best.
And one mum has confessed she was left feeling humiliated after a woman "chased" her through a shop just to demand that she put a hat on her daughter, even though the tot had been suffering from heat rash.
She was criticised because her daughter wasn't wearing a hat (stock photo) (Getty Images)The mum, from the US, spoke about the incident in a Reddit forum that asked parents to talk about things they've been mum-shamed for, and explained that the stranger threatened to report her to the manager of the shop for not putting a hat on her baby.
She wrote: "Someone chased me through a Home Depot and then tried to report me to the manager because my baby didn't have a hat on. It was cold out, but she'd already had heat rash three times that week and was otherwise bundled. Not that the screaming lady wanted to hear that. She just screamed 'BABY NEEDS A HAT!' even louder."
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Commenters were left baffled by the post, as one questioned why the stranger would believe that reporting the woman to the store manager would do anything to help the situation.
They said: "Report you ... to a manager? What, because the manager has authority over your baby just because you're in 'their' store? That's insane."
Other commenters on the thread were also quick to share their experience with being mum-shamed, with many also exchanging stories that involved being told what their children should be wearing.
Someone explained: "When my daughter was a month old I had an older lady zoom by me on an electric scooter and shout 'THAT BABY LOOKS COLD'. It was summertime and she had a onesie with leggings on. Just no socks, so apparently that = cold."
Another Reddit user added: "This happened to me. I was walking from the store to my car and my two didn’t have a hat. It wasn’t even that cold and he was all bundled up in his stroller but wouldn't keep hats on so I didn't bother.
"This woman came after me screaming at the top of her lungs that she would call CPS [child protection services] on me. She scared the hell out of me and made my kiddo cry. Psycho!"
And one sympathetic commenter simply wrote: "I'm sorry that happened to you."