Every now and then, a story emerges that really captures the attention of those who feel compelled to judge other parents. A recent photo series featuring a member of Parliament in Italy, who has been taking her daughter to work since she was a baby, is one of those moments.
Have you heard the term “sanctimommy”? It describes someone who believes their parenting style is the best and has no qualms about voicing that opinion. The judgment often comes wrapped in a thick layer of passive-aggression, making it tricky to spot sometimes.
A Facebook page dedicated to Architecture and Design shared a series of images of Maria Bianchi and her little one, accompanied by this statement: “Maria Bianchi, a member of the European Parliament, has been bringing her daughter Sofia to sessions for two years now. Life. There’s always a way to make it work. This woman is running PARLIAMENT with a baby on her lap and she’s clearly doing an incredible job because she’s still there, being a total boss two years later, baby still in her lap.”
In her own words, Bianchi mentioned that her choice to bring her baby to work began out of necessity—she was breastfeeding. However, she quickly realized that the media paid more attention to her presence with her baby than to the pressing issues being discussed in Parliament. “There’s so much work happening in the European Parliament, and yet no one was interested until I came with my baby. Suddenly, everyone wanted to interview me,” she explained. She also noted her desire to highlight the fact that not all women have the opportunity to bring their children to work, emphasizing the need for conversations around this topic.
Reactions to the Images
Of course, the reactions to these images have been quite dramatic. Some comments include:
- “I’m sure that child would rather be outside playing. You only get one childhood, and this woman is just selfishly focused on her career. She should have taken two years off to devote herself entirely to her daughter.”
- “I wonder how many hours that young child spends on her mother’s lap? A child needs plenty of time to play and explore. Sure, it’s nice she can spend time with her mom, but this isn’t quality time. Her mom is focused on work, not her child.”
- “Wouldn’t it be better for the little girl to have a nanny or go to daycare instead of sitting bored at her mom’s job? It seems selfish. If you can’t bear to be apart from your child, maybe you should consider making some financial sacrifices to stay home.”
With her baby in her lap and a phone in hand, some feel that Bianchi has misplaced her priorities. Her child is as important as her political responsibilities, they argue.
Balancing the demands of motherhood and a career is increasingly challenging for working moms. Kudos to Bianchi for recognizing her platform and making a statement, despite the inevitable criticism that follows moms everywhere. Interestingly, a male lawmaker in the U.S. brought his infant to work last year when he couldn’t find childcare—and the response was overwhelmingly positive, with people praising him for being a dedicated father.
It seems moms are often criticized no matter what they do. That’s why I choose to adopt a laid-back approach when it comes to dealing with judgment about parenting choices—just mind your own business.
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Summary
A photo series featuring Italian lawmaker Maria Bianchi and her daughter Sofia sparked intense debate around parenting choices after Bianchi brought her child to Parliament. While some view her actions as selfish, others commend her for balancing motherhood and work. The conversation reflects the challenges many working moms face, highlighting the double standards in societal reactions to parenting decisions.