I have a confession to make. Here goes, hope you can handle it.....I have four kids. Yep, four. For some reason, especially at Walmart or Target or the Mall people somehow feel compelled to comment on my extraordinary family. For some reason people are overwhelmed with the idea of four kids. Here are the top five comments I have received in the last six months:
5. Four kids?!? (said incredulously)
4. Wow, looks like you have your hands full. (huh, does it look like I'm trying to carry them all?)
3. Only one boy, poor little guy. (Yes, poor him...Life would be SO MUCH calmer with another boy)
2. Haven't you figured out how that happens? (Duh! I enjoy perfecting something I'm obviously good at)
1. Better you than me! (With that attitude, I'm glad it's me and not you!)
and the one that got the asinine award: You remind me of the lady in Arkansas with 17 kids. (huh? Did I miss something in college? Are the numbers 4 and 17 nearer in the number line than I thought?)
Somehow, in the mind of strangers I have made myself a target for their comments. I have decided that I am going to begin responding with various responses....After all, if they are going to open themselves up, I'm going to jump right in. My new responses, feel free to use them if you want...I have a range due to ages, gender and number...Just for variety.
1. Yep, the first two ARE only 14 1/2 months apart...I believed in the Y2K theory and wanted to make sure I had at least two kids before the world ended....Didn't you?
2. Yep, the first two ARE only 14 1/2 months apart. Come on, look at me...It was bound to happen...How could DH resist this body?
3. Yes, one boy. We just wanted to make sure that I had someone to open doors for all of us girls when Daddy's not home.
4. Four kids....Those are just the ones with me. The other 13 are at home practicing the violin.
5. Four kids....We just wanted to keep going to see how many eye colors we could come up with in the family. (each child has a diff. Eye color...Spooky, huh?)
6. Four kids....I needed that many to make sure all the chores get done... One to wash dishes, one to do laundry one to vacuum and one to cook.
7. Four kids...We felt like it would be irresponsible to drive a suv in today's world unless we had enough kids to fill the seats. Just trying to be responsible.
8. Four kids....We didn't feel like it was fair of us to expect just one kid to take care of us when we get old.
Now is your turn....Let's hear some of the responses you have received and I'll post them along with any responses you would like to add.
5 comments:
I am laughing hard at this. I have heard you complain before about the rude people in public, but I love your prepared comebacks! I must admit I have been guilty of making horribly rude comment myself as "better you than me." But I agree-with my attitude-it is better you than me!hehe I have two step daughters and one biological daughter who are all 9 months apart-I often get the "wow-you must have been busy trying for a boy!" We all just smile and agree-our family's dirty little secret.
Your FOUR children are so cute! And I too have been guilty of making incredulous comments to mothers with 4 and more children...oops! But I love your comebacks, and just take it as a compliment when someone makes a comment...we are just in AWE of the patience and skill you must have as a mother, since the rest of us are trying to restrain ourselves from throwing our TWO out the window!
Thanks, I'm pretty fond of them most days! You know, it's not the nice comments that bother me, it's the smirky, snarky ones that make me want to spew a chewed up BigMac in their face.
I get the same with only three kids! Maybe because mine are closer together, it's more fantastical?? When I get comments like that, I like to really put the fear of God in them - I smile and nod my head and say, "And we're homeschoolers". Fear. Shock. Incredulism. They typically recoil in silence. ;)
How about informing them of the fact that you're just trying to do your part to make sure there are enough servants around for them when they're in the nursing homes? ;) Or telling them about this one... http://skellmeyer.blogspot.com/2006/05/looking-for-baby-jane.html
(interesting read when you have 10 minutes...oh yeah, you don't...lol) ;)
I get the "you must have your hands full" thing with two kids...
We want to have a large family so I love reading posts like these!
Post a Comment