What can I say to my family when they criticize my parenting?

My 4 year old is the only baby in my family. I KNOW I am doing better than my mom did.What can I say to my family when they criticize my parenting?
By your family, do you mean parents and sisters or brothers?


Sometimes the best you can do is a ';Sure, Mom.'; and then go on doing what you know you need to do. A verbal agrument never helps.


Another approach, which my not be possible in your situation, is to limit your contact with your family. The more criticism, the longer you stay away. Eventually they will get the point.


It is never good for a child to hear adults differing on how they should be handled.What can I say to my family when they criticize my parenting?
Talk to them when your child is not around. Let them know how it makes you feel to be criticized, and tell them why you do things the way you do. Tell them you don't want to hear any more criticism and be firm about it. Next time they start criticizing you, say, ';I told you how I felt, now let's talk about something else.'; If they don't then, as the earlier poster says, limit your contact with them.


It's not fair or productive for you to have to hear your choices being constantly questioned.
I think that it's not black and white. Sometimes other people actually do know things that we don't. I never get involved in other people's parenting issues, but my brother-in-law told me that he didn't protect their cast iron oven since ';babies instinctively know to stay away from heat'; and I explained to him that it's simply not so...





I think it's worth listening and then sometimes you need to say, ';I appreciate your input but I guess I need the opportunity to learn from my own mistakes.';





Try not to get too emotional about it. My mother-in-law is always critical of what I put my baby in -- it's too warm or too cool - always... and this is my 4th child.
Well, to be passive and say, ';Sure, Mom,'; will probably not stop the behavior. To be sarcastic will hurt more feelings in return, and that's not healthy either. What is respectful of both your family and YOU is to say, ';Mom, I do the very best I can each moment. I am sure you think you are helping me, but I feel hurt and distracted when you criticize. When I feel unsure, I will ask you for advice, OK?';
If it is your mother and father doing it tell them thank you for their input, but that they raised you and now it is your turn to raise yours and that if the child hears them doing this to you then your 4 year old will never listen to what you say.
Just keep telling them ';thank you, that's good advice.'; You can take it or leave it.
Let them know that they did it their way and now you are going to do it your way. Tell them to leave you alone unless they want to take them and take care of them, I had to do it and things have changed. Make sure you keep on top of it and b*t*h about it all the time. good luck
The baby did not come with an owner's manual.(sp)
I have gotten into arguments, my husband into verbal fights with my parens and i decided not to visit as often, even the child gets unstable listening to gandparents and parents fight over diciplining her.