Jodie Palmer is a 34-year-old worker, tirelessly caring for three children. Despite her efforts to be a positive role model for her kids, people have labeled her an unfit mother, “lazy,” and even “disgusting” because she occasionally takes her children to school in her pajamas.
The fact that she wears pajamas under her coat seems to be a negative basis for judgment against her. But, as Jodie herself pointed out, it’s quite the opposite: precisely because she is a devoted mother and absolutely wants her children not to be late for school, she goes out in pajamas. Her children are her priority.
Jodie was hurt reading the criticisms directed at her by other parents or strangers who saw her taking her children to school in pajamas. Besides feeling unjustly attacked by strangers, Jodie emphasized that her behavior was completely misunderstood: ”
I am not a bad mother because I go out in pajamas; I go out in pajamas because I’m trying to be a good mother.” Furthermore, it’s not a habit for Jodie to leave the house in pajamas, but she explained that she does it on particularly tough days. After a sleepless night with her one-year-old, she would wake up late and wouldn’t have time to get dressed. She said:
“People look at me and think I’m lazy, not proud of myself, or a bad example for my children. But I am exactly the opposite. I had been up almost all night with my one-year-old. I slept less than two consecutive hours. But I still got up, got my kids ready to drop them off at school, and brought them on time. I just didn’t have time for myself, but that’s okay because my priority is them, not how strangers see me.”
