When a sweet (perhaps the sweetest) almost-six-year-old rides past you in a wobbly fashion and proudly says, "I can ride my bike now!" don't be the guy who says:
"Wow. How old are you?" "Five and a half, almost six!" "My daughter learned how right when she turned five. I just took off the training wheels and off she went!"
My son, completely absorbed in his new-found bike riding joy, didn't hear our neighbors comment. But his mother did. She said, "that's great. They learn so fast." She wanted to say, "why don't you just knock him off his bike and step on him! who cares about your daughter right this second? why do you feel compelled to make my FIVE YEAR OLD son feel like he learned to ride a bike late?" (she might even end that tirade by sticking out her tongue).
What kind of person wants to make a little child feel like less than he is?
While we're at it, don't be these people either:
The complete stranger who walks past on a neighborhood walk. The boys all wave cheerily at her. She seems cheery herself: "Hi boys! Did your mother put your sunscreen on this morning?" What? What happened to, "what a great day for a walk!"? are you the sunscreen police or something?
or the complete stranger at church who comes up to admire your newborn - or so you think. She actually accosts you with: "where's his hat? what were you thinking? it's freezing out here. he'll catch his death!"
These are all comments that I receive freely from certain people. But it's not the general public's concern as to whether my children have sunscreen or hats on OR NOT. The general public should just admire my children and move on.
6 comments:
preach it, sister! i hate these drive by's and i don't care who knows it! apparently their mama's never taught them that bit about "if you don't have something nice to say...."
Whenever someone talks to me like that I simply grab the duct tape out of my purse, tie them down, and tape their mouth shut. works every time!! LOL.
Or what about the old lady at the grocery store who sees the oh so cute pregnant pooped Mama and says "Wow, are you sure you're not carrying twins?" Why don't you just say what you really mean...that I'm FAT!
My mother-in-law was kind enough to remind me EVERY time she saw me or spoke to me when I was pregnant (all 4 times) that when SHE was pregnant with Steve that SHE only gained 18lbs. Then she'd follow up by asking me how much weight I have gained...heartwarming, I know.
That was Aly above. NOT Steve :)
Ugh!! So right there with you! Can we add people who so helpfully say, "You look tired!" and "Wow you're really growing!" to the pregnant mama list? As if you can grow a human without expanding or using energy!
Hey Christie!!
The great news for all of you is that when your baby finally graduates high school they don't put on the diploma....finally potty trained at age 4, or tied shoes 1st time at age 7, or poured 1st glass of milk at age 5. Thank God all of our first successes remain our own private win-wins!
Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours!!
Post a Comment