Yesterday afternoon, me and D went out for one of our usual walks. Him all bundled up, strapped close to me in the Bjorn. Me all loosely dressed, cuz he's a toasty little FURNACE strapped close to me in the Bjorn.
Only a few minutes in, this woman slows down her car to stop in front of me (preventing me from crossing without going around her), rolls down her passenger window, LEANS ACROSS to the passenger side, and says - I shit you not - "I can't believe you don't have a HAT on that child!"
I, DUMBFOUNDED cuz I'd assumed she wanted directions, blurt out, "Are you f*g KIDDING me?!"
Well, apparently she WASN'T kidding me, because she bitchily harps back, "I'm a doctor of dermatology and I've seen YEARS of the kind of damage you're doing. The UV is the same every SINGLE day, regardless if you think it's GREY out, and you need to put a hat on that child!"
Still flabberghasted, and kinda at a loss for words, all I managed to get out as I stormed off was, "And you need to mind your own f*g business.".
And so yea, I've had a lot of what I'd call CELEBRITY treatment since becoming a parent - you know, that thing where random STRANGERS stop you on the street to ask to see your child, ask what his name is, and even sometimes go so far as to ask you about your labor (?!?!) or tell you deep dark secrets about THEIR experience - but nothing like this. Nothing where someone's actually given me SHIT for something I was doing, or NOT doing. Nothing where someone's gone to such TROUBLE to reem me - a complete STRANGER - out!
... More on this later. Screechy McScreecher is awake.
Tuesday, 19 January, 2010
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34 comments:
OMG
That is un-f***-ing believable. I had people in line talk to me about her lack of shoes or something like that but never had someone go out of her way....ridiculous
Holy shit! I had some old woman in the middle of Olive Garden ask me if I was nursing. DH cussed at her before I had a chance! But your story is the craziest I've heard.
I've never had someone go that far out of their way to comment (good or bad). That is CRAZY!
Wow! That's insane!
Eek! That's crazy! Hope the rest of your walk was nice though..
Happened to me at Walmart - I had my girl in a stroller, it was 50 degrees (but windy), and my walk was from the parking lot into the building. I was IN THE BUILDING and some lady told me "you should have a hat on that child." On top of that, my infant had quite a bit of hair, so it's not like her little bald head was getting frost-bitten (in the 50 degree weather). She was also in her car seat carrier, which has a wind shield. Annoying people.
Oh that's horrible!
I'm SO glad you told her to mind her own business.
I had a similar instance--in October, a 50 degree day, I had a lady stop me in the parking garage of the pediatrician's office to yell at me to put a hat on my two year old. I just glared at her. Wish I had said what you did.
My SIL had a woman stop her in the mall while she was feeding her son (a bottle) and say, "you know, breast really is best."
The nerve of some people is unreal. I have no idea why they think total strangers are interested in their unsolicited opinions and commentary.
Totally. freaks.me.out.
I am SO glad you told her to mind her own business. You kick ass.
xxx
Holy crap that's outrageous! I would have been LIVID. So sorry that happened to you :( gah.
It is so wonderful how everybody feels free to comment on your decisions once you have a child. I'd say unbelievable, but unfortunately your story is only too believable.
oh i hear you. the very first time we went out with Auden someone came up to us to tell us that his "head shouldn't be like that" in his car seat. then she told us that he was too young to be out at all. people are AMAZING with their level of entitlement when it comes to other people's children. it's a shame they can't focus their energies on kids who are really in danger/at risk. then they might do some good.
I love the little hippie community north of us. Most of the time. I was bottle-feeding my son one day while taking in the local festival, and some young hippie chick who probably has no idea what it looks like to have a nipple that is 3/4 gone from erosion, decided to stop and tell me that wasn't good for my son.
"This is my dead sister's child!" I snarled at her. A total fucking lie, but it made her feel really, really bad. I can't believe it actually came out of my mouth.
What a totally rude bee-atch.
Wow! How very bold of her to assume that you are incapable of determining what your child needs! And to do so while driving! She's lucky you weren't packing heat in the Bjorn. (Not that you would be, but in this day-and-age, I try to keep my opinions to myself for that exact reason!)
Classic Mommy Drive-By!
I was pushing the wee lasses around the lake shortly before I returned to work. A young Mom - maybe 19 with a brand new baby and her Mom were walking toward us. Normally you do the "aww...you're baby is lovely" routine. But Grandma, with cigarette dangling from corner of mouth, ash an inch long, points at my lovelies and says (in voice that sounds like Selma and Patty) "Just be thankful you didn't have THAT!"
I didn't miss a beat. I said "Just be thankful your Grandma isn't that".
Holy cow!
Good for you shouting right back at her!
I can't ever think of things to say in the heat of the moment...
Where I come from we call that chick a beyotch! Good for you for standig up to her!
I kind of get what she was trying to say, but her approach was a little lacking. Telling people off never gets you all that far....
Ack.
g
I mostly hate people. Stories like this reaffirm for me that I'm not really so wrong for feeling that way.
People suck. Plain and simple.
Seriously!?
Kudos to you for being able to respond. I would have been in shock, thinking I was getting punked.
You should thank her for giving you a blog post.
good for you for telling her like it is. the effing nerve.
Kudos to you for having a comeback! I find anything that employs an f-bomb appropriate.
Why is it babies and pregnancy make total idiots come out of the woodwork? It's like we're asshole magnets all the sudden.
Wow, people are so fantastic.
Holy shit. I'm also dumbfounded!
All I can say is WTF? and I am so glad you responded that way!
Wow...that is, just Wow. What a dumbass. I'm bracing myself for my own similar encounters.
That happened to me in the post office. It was the middle of summer and a lady told me I needed to cover my babies face with a receiving blanket. Apparently she was a nurse and as all good nurses know receiving blankets prevent the spread of the swine flu. MORON
wow, the unmitigated gall. I would have said something snarky about how she was killing us all by not driving a hybrid. :) I think you handled yourself well though.
This happened to me a couple of months ago! We were out walking and it was a bit windy and some bitch looked at me all snotty and told me that Ruby should be wearing a hat because it was hard on her ears. Oh fuck if I didn't have to stop myself from punching her teeth out. I have no idea what makes people think it's ok to do that!
You had a better response than I did though. I was so shocked I didn't know what to say and ended up saying, "She won't wear hats!!!" (she won't, she rips them off) Lame response though. I wish I'd said what you did. I regretted my response all day.
Holy shit...what a raging bitch.
I'd have to say (in a very loving way), "Get used to it."
Cause it only gets worse, and unforunately, OTHER MOMS are usually the worst offenders of all.
Go to a playgroup or storytime at the library and you'd best be prepared to defend all sorts of your mommy choices.
I love your response, however, keep that up! :)
All i can say is awesome! You said what we have all thought at times!
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