Wednesday, March 5, 2008

Milk, bread, cheese and rude comments

Today, I took the kids to Sam's club. I like Sam's club because they have the double carts so I can sit two kids in front and Jacob holds onto John in the main part of the cart. AND, their lunch is really cheap and easy to eat... Jacob gets pizza and ice cream, the babies get a hot dog and a pretzel and I get the hot dog special (comes with a drink). So I grab another cart and line them up in front of me and I give them pieces of the hot dog and pretzel. They eat really well because its not nutritional food, and, its a different environment.
So usually I do have a few people comment on the babies while I'm there, but today it took 90 minutes to eat and get milk, dried blueberries and buns.
I am busy feeding the kids and chatting it up with Jacob and I hear yelling behind me. A woman and her son? or a younger man were pointing at the kids and talking really loudly. I thought it was so rude, I just turned away from her. Then a few minutes later she was done checking out and did it again. She was pointing at them and I caught, "look at them!" and couldn't really hear what else she said because she was probably 30 feet away, but everyone else checking out I'm sure could hear her clearly.
Then probably six times people came up to me and commented on how well behaved they are. And they asked me if they are twins or triplets too. Now, at times I am amazed at how well behaved they are, but it is a new environment and I only give them one piece of food at a time. And they are strapped in.
So we go shopping for the 3-4 things that we need and I run into a high school teacher and his wife. After pleasantries were exchanged, his wife and he both exclaimed, "what blessings!" THANK YOU! For the love of God, children are a blessing! Even when you get a couple at a time!
Same aisle, new couple... they are staring at me and I smile at them. She asked me if they are twins. She tells me she had five children in under five years. She goes on and on and doesn't wait for me to answer, but tells me that five children in under five years is harder. She had a set of twins too. So I answer her question, "No they are not twins, they are triplets and he (Jacob) is almost 5".
She didn't reiterate that five children under five years where harder again.
Its all perspective I guess. Most people with two children think they have it harder than a person with one child and most people with three think they have it harder than others with two or one.
I seriously can't remember the order of everyone that came up to me, it was almost every person stopping me in Sam's Club. Next, another rude person and her friend were muttering - out loud- "How many children does she have in that cart! That's a lot of kids!" or something to that effect. You could tell by the tone of her voice she wasn't a fan.
Then the checkout person told me that the kids are so well behaved and everyone was commenting about it. That was nice, but sometimes it just sucks being on display all the time.

So, after my ranting and raving and probably clear as mud blogging, this is my point.

Just because I have triplets should not make me and my children open to such rude comments. Obviously some people just don't think before they talk. Obviously some people just can't count either. Are they twins? Well, in a sense they are, but they are also triplets. I just can't believe what people say as I walk by. These are my children that they are talking about and it really makes me mad at the insensitive comments. At least my kids don't understand what is going on yet...

1 comment:

Beth said...

I agree with you! I only have 2 kids, but am constantly being stopped, etc. Mine are pretty close in age, 15 months, and are not always that well behaved!

I hope you don't have to encounter that too much in the future!!!

Beth