I get a lot of comments from people whenever I take my children into public. Especially if I take my triple stroller. I guess it just draws attention because they're not very common. Usually I get comments like, "You've got your hands full." or "Wow, are they twins?" (Asking about Brigham and Rebekah.) One lady even insisted that they were twins- no they're not- but she kept saying,"yes, they're twins." Whatever lady- you can think that if you want.
I get comments about the stroller like, "Do you need a license to drive that thing?" or "Whoa, here comes a limo." or "that's a train of a stroller."
A lot of people ask how old they all are. And then they give me funny looks when they find out Brigham and Rebekah are 11 months apart. I just shrug my shoulders.
A few weeks ago I took the children with me to a neighborhood garage sale- about 30 houses in one neighborhood. It was neat to just walk around and get some great deals. There were a lot of people there. One lady stopped me and commented on the children and the stroller and asked how old they were. I told her. Then she put her arm around me and asked in a half whisper, "do you know how you got all of them?" as she pointed at the children. Like I don't know where babies come from! I laughed and said, "Yes, we adopted them!" I can't believe a stranger decided it was her responsibility to teach me how people get babies.
Anybody else get strange comments about their children?
I think that's pretty common stuff for people to say. It's so odd for anyone to have more than 2 kids these days! Also, people in general have become more nosy and less concerned about how their comments are making people feel.
ReplyDeleteFor instance, anyone that has twins now gets asked if they were natural of if you took fertility drugs- as if taking the drugs makes you bad somehow, or they twins aren't REAL twins because you took drugs to get them.
I can't believe anyone thought you maybe didn't know how you kept having more kids! DUH! Is there ANYONE now that doesn't know that? Hellloooo?
You can feel good about one thing though- people seem to automatically assume they are your biological children- which seems to me like it would be kinda cool! Maybe they look enough like you two that people can't tell. I don't mean to say that it would be bad if they obviously looked adopted- like it should matter either way, but it is hard to tell!
That's too funny. One time this lady stopped Craig and I walking around the lake once to ask us if Chloe and Linus were twins, and they're 18 months apart! Plus, Linus was just a couple of months old back then, I don't know how on earth she could have thought that. People just get confused when they see big strollers, I guess.
ReplyDeleteI think the mere coolness of that triple stroller just automatically draws in comments! I love that thing!!
ReplyDeleteYou need to read my friend's blog. She has nine kids and gets comment after comment after comment...
http://skywalker8.blogspot.com/2009/04/things-people-say.html
http://skywalker8.blogspot.com/2009/06/just-when-i-thought-that-id-heard-it.html
http://skywalker8.blogspot.com/2009/06/cruisin.html
So funny! I just love hearing about your life and seeing cute pictures of your children
ReplyDeleteWait! They aren't twins?? Just kidding - I LOVE it when people think they know better than you do. All those crazy people - you just keep right on strolling by with that awesome stroller.
ReplyDeleteThat's one of the ONLY reasons I'm nervous to leave Utah. There are kids all over the place and no one even gives you a second glance (even if they're screaming, which I am grateful for!) I did have the doctor ask me if Camille and Eve had different fathers though, because they look so different. I was a little shocked because 1) I'm in Utah and 2) they're only 15 months apart! I would love to see you with the triple car seat. Super mom!!!
ReplyDeleteYeah, I think we all have had nosy people comment on our children. The other day I was babysitting my nephew Jaymz who is 3 months, and me and my mom decided to go shopping with both babies. My mom isn't strong enough to carry a car seat with either baby in it so I was carrying both carseats and I sat Elivia's down on the sidewalk to put Jaymz' carseat on the shopping cart and this old lady comes up and insists that Elivia is going to get a sunburn. I told her that I just sat her down for a second in the sun and that she would be ok but she insisted again that she would get burned in just a few seconds. I was pretty annoyed....but I had to laugh about it later. Some people are just ridicous!
ReplyDeleteI want to see this "limo"! Sounds pretty cool!
i had a similar-"do u know where they come from" comment, from a old man in walmart, unfortunately it turned into a dirty joke...guess u have to get your kicks somehow when ur older....harassing new parents
ReplyDeleteJessica and Tim I love the story. Even in my "younger days" (when my oldest nieces and nephews were babies, and they're now all over the age of 16) people thought some of them were my own kids when I'd go walking around with them, even at church of all places. :-) Not that I don't LOVE kids, but to have kids of my own at 19-20 yrs old would have been more than I could've handled. (umm, fyi I didn't go on my mission 'til I was almost 21, actually turned 21 in the MTC. maybe more on that another day.)
ReplyDeleteI must agree with what some others have said. I think the kids actually do resemble the two of you. :-) hope you're doing well.
How sweet of her to take the time and be insulting.
ReplyDeleteYou know I do : )
My favorite is when people aske me how we concived our twins... What??? How is that a strangers business?? But I get asked all of the time.
Oh, yeah....wait till you have six of them....then the trip to the grocery store is full of "are they all yours?" and "so you run a daycare, huh?" and "are they all from the same dad"...and my personal favorite.."you aren't having any more, are you?!?!?" We sure hope so!!!! I always tell them, "when God looks down to see a loving and safe place to send his children, I hope my home qualifies everytime!"!! LOL
ReplyDeleteWe get them ALL the time. I counted 5 "you got your hands full," in one grocery visit last Tuesday... It does get annoying...
ReplyDeleteYup we get them NON STOP and have for many many years now. I have come to the conclusion that most people just want to talk to us and they think they need some line to do it. They do not intend to be rude (even though a lot of the times they are) So I have learned to take it in stride and to not let it worry me, just smile and answer the same questions over and over again that I could answer without them even asking.
ReplyDelete:-)
I know this comment is late, but I just wanted to share a different point of view. I don't think people mean to be rude, they're just using these kinds of comments as ice breakers to get a conversation started. I imagine the lady who asked if you knew how babies are made was joking. It doesn't seem possible that a comment like that would be made in seriousness.
ReplyDeleteI think people don't think about how a comment might make you uncomfortable or be annoying - they're just curious about your family. That's my take on it, anyway.
yeah, I'm not really offended by the comments I get, I just mostly think it's funny. I think the one I get the most is "you've got your hands full." :)
ReplyDeleteI get the "you've got your hands full all the time". Yes people really do think it's crazy to have more than two kids. We mostly get "Look at that hair" "Three redheads - wow (and then they look at me and get embarrassed or something). People are always making comments about other people. But we just smile and keep on doing what we are doing. (dont you wish people would be as willing to help others as they are to talk about them?)
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