Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Today we worked on cleaning and organizing the basement. Then, as a reward, we went to 5 Guys for lunch with the daddy-o. While we were there I noticed a family setting near us. The dad got the attention of his wife, then I saw him mouth the words, "Look, they have 5 kids." at which point the wife glanced at our table and I looked away. Of course I double checked to see that everyone was behaving themselves, you know now that I knew we had an audience. Luckily, they were. Then the feeling came to me that we should be lined up behind a curtain, some where between a bearded lady and the worlds smallest man, charging people 25 cents to step inside and stare at us. In fact, I have this feeling a lot when I venture into public with the whole clan. I don't think this particular couple meant anything by commenting on the size of our family. They had with them two young boys and twin baby girls. So maybe they were thinking 'look they are here with 5 relatively well behaved children. If they can do it, so can we.' Yes, they were inspired by us. I'm sure that's it. But there are others from whom I get the feeling they think we are completely crazy, or worse, irresponsible. Not that I care, except I kinda do. I want to tell them that being a mom is all I ever wanted to do and that it's the greatest calling I could ever hope to have and that each one of my kids were desperately wanted and greatly anticipated and it's the hardest, best job in the world and I'm actually pretty good at it, so back off. But instead I just smile at those people and pray that my kids are behaving themselves so that they don't have even more reason to believe that I'm crazy.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
1 comment:
I know the feeling, and I only have 3! I get comments ALL the time when I take my kids to the grocery store. Are the people there looking for peace and quiet while they shop? Solace in the supermarket? Whatever. They can go home and read a book or take a yoga class. I'm kind of over children-haters right now. A lady at the market told me "you need to grow one more arm or have one less kid" yesterday. I thought I was going to scream at her....especially since my kids WERE being total angels AND I only had 2 of them with me! What is wrong with people? I replied with a cheerful but quiet, "well that's kind of rude to say, isn't it?" and pushed my cart onward. Did I give up my right to have people filter their thoughts when I had children? Maybe. I wonder if those same people wander around telling women without children that they have an ugly shirt on, need a better bra, should hit the gym, or that their hair color was a bad idea... or if it is just the presence of children that give people a free pass to judge and critique my every decision.
Post a Comment