No one ever said that being a mom was easy. Actually, it’s pretty hard. Hey, we’re not saying that it isn’t totally rewarding. It is. But, it has it’s challenges. Sometimes it’s how we meet these challenges that makes us…well, the mama that we all know we are. Then again, sometimes we just can’t rise to the challenge. And, that’s okay. It’s entirely impossible to be on you’re a-game 24-7.
Okay okay. So ‘momming’ is serious business. You turn your back on your toddler for a second, forget to buckle the car seat belt or look away for a minute when your preschooler is on the playground climber, and disaster can strike. Really. You’ve seen it. Maybe not with your own kiddo. But, you’ve seen it in the tabloids, online and even on the news. Come on, you know who we’re talking about – that mommy. She did something that absolutely everyone agreed was not the “right” thing to do, and got crushed by the critics.
Here we go, it’s time for mommy shaming. The judgy judgers are coming out in droves and blindly typing away like a zombie army who smell the sweet, sweet flesh of fresh mama mistakes. Sure, sometimes these moms really deserved the shear destruction that the critics dished out. But, then there are the mamas who really didn’t do anything more than not giving their child organic, non-GMO produce or forgetting to read Shakespeare to them every night. And, the critics still crushed them.
From mamas who meant well to those who just weren’t thinking, check out these moms that got completely decimated by the judgers, the shamers and the critics.
15 Chrissy Teigen
The model and mom seems like she has it all. Not only is she other-worldly gorgeous, but she also has a super-sweet (and super-hot) hubby and a beautiful baby. While Teigen has done nothing to truly provoke the critics, that doesn’t mean she isn’t being constantly criticized.
The serious criticism started when Teigen reportedly held her baby “Wrong.” As Teigen and husband John Legend walked down the street (something we all do every day), photogs snapped the mama holding cute and cuddly little Luna. Instead of saying, “Aww. What a sweet pic of a happy family” the critics decimated Teigen, bashing her for holding her baby incorrectly.
Was Teigen doing anything wrong? Of course not. The photos were split-second views into her life – and didn’t show her doing anything to in any way harm her daughter.
Of course, the critics didn’t stop there. Mommy shamers blasted the way Teigen dressed Luna (not putting socks on her) and said that the baby didn’t seem to show emotions. Teigen fired back, not letting the critics get the best of her!
14 The Gorilla Mom
In 2016 news broke that a toddler boy had fallen into a gorilla enclosure at the Cincinnati Zoo. With a 450-pound male gorilla names Harambe also in the enclosure, it was clear to zoo officials that the boy was ins serious, life-threatening danger. Feeling that tranquilizers wouldn’t work on the animal in enough time to save the boy, the zoo’s staff claimed they had choice other than to kill the gorilla. While critics certainly weren’t pleased with the zoo’s response, they were even angrier at the mom.
Critics absolutely decimated the mother of the boy, noting that she should have been watching him. We all know how…um, challenging, it is to wrangle an energetic tot. You turn your back for one second, look the other direction for a moment or blink your eyes and suddenly they’re off and running. But, that didn’t stop the shamers from saying that the mother was at fault for the gorilla’s death. Not only did they criticize and shame her, but they felt she should be held criminally responsible for what happened to Harambe.
13 Nicole “Snooki” Polizzi
Sure, Snooki engaged in some pretty questionable behavior back in her “Jersey Shore” days. But, the mama has come a long way since the times she spent day drinking and staggering around on the beach. This once-hard partying reality star all but stopped her boozy ways when she became a mama. Taking on a much more serious role. Okay, so Snooki isn’t exactly serious. But she is a pretty awesome mom.
When the Jersey Shore alum posted an IG pic of herself putting mascara on daughter Giovanna, the social media critics decimated her. The critical comments poured in, despite the fact that Snooki was only getting her daughter ready for a dance recital. Come on. How many of us were super-psyched as little girls to put on mommy’s make-up for a performance or show? It’s not like Snooki was making up her daughter and sending her out to the clubs. No way!
12 Octomom
We all remember Nadya Suleman. If you’re thinking, “Huh? Who? What?” it might be that you remember Suleman by a very different name – Octomom. The mama to many gained fame when she gave birth to eight (yes, eight) babies at one time. Even though she was initially embraced as a baby-making record holder, the public quickly turned on her.
So what happened to Octomom? As it turned out she already had six kids, had no job and was on public assistance. Whoa! Suleman was decimated for being completely irresponsible. Critics blasted her for using assisted reproductive technology to have way too many kids. And then they kept on going. As if having a grand total of 14 kiddos wasn’t enough, the fact that Octomom had no foreseeable way to pay for her brood didn’t sit well with the public. Oh, and then there was the sex tape.
After all of the very public character bashing, Suleman took a major step back and pulled herself out of the spotlight. The Octomom now goes by Natalie and hasn’t made any more “adult videos.”
11 Farrah Abraham
As if being a “teen mom” wasn’t hard enough, Farrah has certainly come under fire for plenty of her decisions. Hey, the reality star could have chosen a much more private life and not made herself into the mini mogul that she’s become. Even though Farah is a major boss babe and has several legit businesses under her belt, the critics never stop their shaming.
After starring in MTV’s “16 and Pregnant,” Abraham went on to also star in the network’s spin-off – “Teen Mom.” Then she did what reality stars seem to love doing. She made a sex tape. Hey, where would Kim K be without hers? Okay, so Farrah’s wasn’t exactly a grainy intimate moment of reality. But, it gave the young mom a major paycheck and the ability to start a new life for herself and her daughter.
Even though she’s been put through the ringer for some of her kind of off choices (and her big-time attitude), Abraham is standing strong.
10 Jenelle Evans
Another “Teen Mom,” another mama who was totally decimated by the critics. We met Jenelle as a pregnant teen. With a deadbeat baby daddy and a mother and no real future in mind, Evans (like many teen moms) seemed to prefer partying to poopy diapers. And, here’s where the criticism started. Sure, she was only a teenager. But, that didn’t stop reality viewers for shaming the mama who would rather hang with friends than with her own child. Things didn’t get better from there.
After getting involved with a drug addicted boyfriend, Evans also started a cycle of substance abuse that eventually led to homelessness and jail time. This didn’t do much for the criticism she was still getting. As a star of the MTV spin-off “Teen Mom 2,” Evans continued her downward spiral. She hooked up with loser after loser, got pregnant, had an abortion and got pregnant again.
Even when the mama got sober, started school and tried to make something more of her life, the critics still pressed on. Now that Jenelle’s older (and perhaps wiser) she’s mom to three and engaged to a seemingly nice guy!
9 Kate Gosselin
When you have eight children it’s easy to meltdown. Obviously. Hey, some of us have one kiddo and can’t manage a day without freaking out – at least for a few minutes. Now imagine you’re busy mom-ing on national TV. Whoa. Kate’s naturally “type A” personality may have made wrangling eight children a bit more manageable, but it didn’t do much when it came to the critics.
As she rode her reality stardom from “John and Kate Plus 8” to “Kate Plus 8” the critics didn’t stop. Of course, what should you expect if you’re letting cameras into your life? Well…maybe some (or more than some) of that criticism is kind of unfounded. Okay, maybe more of – undeserved. It’s not easy raising eight kids. And it’s even harder raising eight kids as a single mom. Kate might not be picture perfect, and she may have made mistakes. But, she’s still a loving mama who only wants the best for her many, many kids.
8 Kelly Clarkson
Really? She’s possibly one of the sweetest, most genuine celebs out there. This mama is more than just an American idol. Sure, she’s a super-star singer. But, she’s also trying her best to parent like a pro. And then the critics go and shame her. Why?
In case you missed it, Clarkson was totally mom-shamed for giving her daughter Nutella. Yep, that’s right. She gave her daughter the amazingly addictive hazelnut spread and the critics jumped right on top of it. If that doesn’t make much sense, you aren’t alone.
So the story goes – Clarkson posted an adorable video of her 2-year-old daughter River trying Nutella for the very first time. Yeah, so what? That’s kind of the normal response. Right? Well, not for some of the haters out there. Clarkson got blasted for giving her toddler a high-sugar snack.
Okay, so Nutella isn’t exactly a health food. But, it’s not the devil either.
7 Kim Kardashian
Um, when isn’t Kim K getting totally slammed by the critics? Seriously. Long before she was a mama, Kim got decimated on the daily. From her reality star/sex tape rise to super-stardom to her relationship choices, everyone had everything to say about Kardashian.
When Kim and hubby Kanye became parents the critics certainly didn’t stop. She was shamed all over the Internet for just about everything she did, or didn’t do. Even though her body is totally enviable, critics still put her down for gaining extra baby weight. And, for not taking it off immediately. What mama does?
Most recently, Kim K got blasted for posting a pic of son riding in a front-facing car seat. The critics noted that kiddos under 2 need to go rear-facing. Or at least until, they’re 40 pounds or 40 inches tall. Unless those critics tagged along on little Saint’s last pediatrician appointment, we’re pretty sure they don’t know the tot’s stats.
6 Amanda Seyfried
The adorable actress was decimated by critics for staying on an antidepressant during pregnancy. Antidepressants have made headlines recently when it comes pregnancy. After a study was published in the British Medical Journal noting a possible link between antidepressant link during pregnancy and children who have autism, everyone became a skeptic. Keep in mind, Seyfried was pregnant and taking an antidepressant well before the most recent study was made public. Of course, there have been other previously published studies that have found similar connections.
Seyfried has been open about her OCD (obsessive-compulsive disorder) and her use of antidepressants to get control of it. When she found out she was pregnant she continued to take her prescription Lexapro. Even though she was on a very low dose, critics still jumped on her taking the antidepressant.
The actress, like many other women, was in a precarious pregnancy position. To stop taking antidepressants or not? Going cold turkey isn’t recommended, and children born to depressed mothers can have their own set of issues. But, then there’s the research saying that the meds can negatively impact the baby. In the end, Seyfried had a completely healthy baby. Maybe the critics need to stay out of her mental health and let Seyfried make her own choices.
5 Mila Kunis
She may have played a “Bad Mom” on the big screen, but that doesn’t make the actress one in real life. Um, unless you’re one of her critics. Kunis was decimated for doing something totally natural – breastfeeding. When she breastfed daughter Wyatt in public, critics jumped on her choice as controversial.
Like many, many, many other mamas, Kunis got glares, side-eyed looks and not-so-nice faces when she nursed in a public spot. Kunis obviously isn’t the only mother to get decimated by critics for nursing in public. There have been plenty of now-viral FB and IG pics on mamas feeding their little ones. Instead of 100% applause, many of these have pulled the trolls out of hiding and gotten criticized in the comments.
Not only are moms getting criticized for public breastfeeding online, but it’s happening IRL. When mom Ashley Cooper breastfed her then-8-month-old baby at a mall in Virginia security told her to move to a designated nursing room. Designated nursing room? Hmm.
4 Alanna Masterson
She may kick some zombie butt on the hit TV show “The Walking Dead,” but the mama isn’t pulling punches with her critics. Oh, we’re not talking about television critics. We’re talking about those mom-shaming critics.
Those body-shaming trolls struck Masterson online, commenting rudely about her post-baby body. Decimating a new mama for her figure isn’t exactly…well, nice. Okay, everyone doesn’t have to be nice all the time, But, they should at least be understanding. And, the critics who trolled Masterson certainly weren’t.
Masterson didn’t sit back and let the critics judge and shame her. No way. After being called fat and having her breastfeeding bust criticized for its size, the new mama fought back with some sharp words on IG, writing, “Dear Instagram trolls, body shamers, and the men and woman who think it’s ok to comment on my weight: I hope that you don’t have children. And if you do, I hope you teach them about kindness and acceptance.” She went on to add, “I hope one day YOU learn what it takes to be a parent. A kind, selfless parent. A working parent. A parent that puts themselves in someone else’s shoes.” Apparently being shamed doesn’t mean you have to curl up and cry yourself away. Masterson’s epic response was smart, sassy and totally true.
3 Pink
Okay, so this epic tough girl isn’t really ever ‘decimated’ by anyone. But, the critics have sure tried to shame her when it comes to parenting. Recently, the performer posted an IG pic of her cooking. No big deal. Right? Um, maybe not.
She had her gorgeous little baby in a carrier, strapped to her chest. As she cooked her older child knelt on the countertop watching. Come on, baby Jameson and big girl Willow were set in a scene that probably happens in plenty of kitchens around the world. Instead of ignoring the kids or plopping them down in front of the TV, Pink kept her kiddos close as she prepped a meal (oh, and we think it’s pretty rad to see a celeb actually make a homecooked meal).
So yes, burns happen. Should Pink have strapped her baby to her chest while cooking? That’s certainly not for us to say. But, the critics had plenty of words for her. They jumped on Pink for being irresponsible and putting her baby in danger. Of course, this wasn’t the first time the singer has been mom-shamed, and it might not be the last. In any case, it doesn’t seem like Pink is terribly troubled over the trolling. She knows she’s an awesome mom, and so do the rest of us.
2 Jessica Simpson
Jessica Simpson is no stranger to criticism. With every pound gained or lost, every reality show, every song, every relationship – she’s been shamed. When the singer/reality star/mega-mogul posted pics of her mini me daughter in a bikini the Internet went wild with criticism.
Critics slammed Simpson for posting what they considered a totally inappropriate photo online. They described the pic as “disturbing” and noted that it was not for social media.
The blasting continued, with critics decimating Simpson for what they considered child exploitation. The parenting shamers came out en mass, commenting on how wrong Simpson’s actions (in positing the photo) were.
But, not everyone had the same critical take on the pic. Some commenters supported the mom, citing that no one would care if a celeb posted a picture of a young son in a swimsuit.
1 Kris Jenner
The Kardashian clan’s mama might not have as many social media followers as her super-celeb daughters, but that doesn’t mean the critics have left her alone. Jenner has made a career of staying in the spotlight – and keeping her kiddos there. Her critics have blasted Jenner for supposedly brokering some sort of sex tape deal way back in the day. That’s Kim’s, not hers.
With a gaggle of girls around her who have all rose to icon status for doing almost nothing (after all, they aren’t actresses or musicians like other celebs are) and paving the way for other reality starlets, Jenner is sometimes seen as the ultimate stage mom. Yeah, she was pushing her daughters to succeed long before the “Dance Moms” even thought about fame. But, maybe she doesn’t deserve the sharp criticism.
Kris is kind of a mad genius. She sees opportunities that no one else does and runs with them. And the best part of it is – she believes in her kids. Yes, pushing your kid’s career may seem…well, pushy. But, it also shows that you (or in this case, Kris) believe in your child. Kris may be a stage mom, but she’s also a loving parent who wants her girls to succeed.
Sources: British Medical Journal, People, Vanity Fair