Every time I see someone making absolutist statements about other people's parenting—even something as seemingly obvious as, "I'd never get my kid a candy bar at the grocery store if they were misbehaving"—I assume they don't have kids themselves.

One thing I've learned as a parent is that every kid is different, every situation is different, and there are always tons of undercurrents that aren't immediately visible. Are there shitty parents out there? Of course. But for every shitty parent there are ten parents just trying to get through the day and do the best for their children, often under extenuating circumstances that are difficult for many of us to fathom.