I Used to Judge

I used to judge.

I used to judge parents who feed their children rubbish. I used to judge parents who make the TV the first choice of entertainment. I used to judge parents who let their children run riot. I was certain that I ever had children, I would feed them the most nutritious fresh food every day. I would supply them with toys that are educational and let them use their imagination. I would control my children in public. I would be consistent but not strict.

But if rubbish is the only food the child would eat or they would literally go without, but if the TV is the only thing that gives a parent enough time to pop into the shower and take care of themselves, then who am I, an outsider, to judge? An outsider who learnt much of her spoken English through watching TV, and a good bit of Japanese through playing video games?

I still judge parents who are so strict their children are scared to be children, scared to even speak up. I still judge parents who think applying violence is the first and foremost or even the only parenting method.

And I’m really afraid that would change.