Not that it didn't happen before, but it's happening more and more and more.
I took my kids to the doctor and while trying to wrestle my 2 year old into submission while my 5 year old sat on the bed and my 3 month old cried in the sling, the doctor asked, "Can I ask you how old you are?" I was taken aback...was my loss of control at that moment related to *my* age, or more the age of my squirmy two year old? (I would put my money on the 2 year old!)
Or the random woman on the street who demanded to know if in fact all 3 boys were mine, how old they were, and how old I was... Who comes up to someone and demands to know their age? What gave her the idea that it was okay to come up to me and ask me that?
I honestly do not understand why people feel that it is appropriate to come up to me and ask me how old I am...some how insinuating that perhaps I am too young to have one child, let alone 3. My husband says that I should take it as a compliment, but I don't. It really ticks me off.
Just because someone decides to start with the career and not the family as I have chosen does not make them *more* qualified to have children, or more able to pass judgement.
If a 45 year old woman was walking around with 2 or 3 small kids, would random strangers and doctors ask *her* how old she was?
NO. BECAUSE IT IS RUDE.
I decided to have my kids young because honestly, I feel like I can handle them better when I am young. I wanted to have more than a few kids and I wanted them close together. I wanted to be done having babies by 30. I wanted to be able to stay home and not worry about the career that I was leaving or hoping was staying on hold for me.
Because my mom had her kids young.
Because my grandma had her kids young.
Because I *wanted* to.
Thats right. Not only am I young (which is B.S because I was 8 years older than my mom when she had me, when I started) I planned them. Each and every one.
So stop asking me, because I am going to start asking it right back. Why? Why does it matter to people?
Age is just a number...and in 20 years from now when my kids are all in college, (or whatever they want to do) I will only be in my late 40's and free from diapers, and kid drama...and then the table will turn, and I wont be judged anymore.
3 comments:
It's true, it's so rude yet people feel it's ok to ask. That and "How many kids are you going to have?!?!" When people ask me how old I am, I ask them to guess first. Then I tell them age is just a number, haha. Telling them is just facilitating their judgement. Sometimes if someone asks in a genuine or awe-struck way I will tell them, it depends on the situation of course. Yesterday I spent the day with a mom who is in her mid-forties, but it wasn't weird at all, because we have kids the same age. Like it matters how old someone is! The only time I like to tell my age is to help give confidence to another young mom.
You are hilarious! I have more to add but would rather say it in person.
I'm 27 and people stare at me and treat me like a teenager with a baby... So reading this makes me feel better...I'm not the only one.
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