I took all five of my kids to Kohl's to get Jared a specific white oxford shirt for Brent's wedding. It was on sale for $5 off the sale price today only, so my sanity is roughly worth $5.81. I normally have Jared go get his own shirt so the patrons of Kohl's can shop in peace without staring at me or asking/stating any of the following:
Are they ALL yours? Yep, but I might give you the one that is crying.
You have your hands full. And in my distracted state a child breaks free of my vice grip on their hand and makes a run for it.
You're busy aren't you?
Wow, five kids. Yes, wow.
You know what causes this right?
Today was no exception to the rule. I made small talk with a fellow shopper about my stair-stepped-kids. However, when the nice gentlemen mentioned that I needed a few more children, Tara responded for me.
"Oh, my mom isn't having any more kids because my sister flushed her wedding ring down the toilet."
Nothing better than discussing family planning and plumbing in the suit section of Kohl's.
PS. To be fair I probably should have been selling circus side show tickets to watch me shop. I had one of those 2 seater shopping baskets with Amy in the front seat, Kyra in the back, Eric straddling Kyra because she is still a wobbly sitter, Ian standing in the back and Tara walking next to me. I should expect stares with a setup like that.
14 comments:
Don't ya just love peoples comments. I love to watch you with all your kids. You are impressive and make me think maybe I can have more!
aren't some people ridiculous? i can't stand the "you've got your hands full" comment. what are you supposed to say to that? i think next time i will say,
"yes. now get out of my way i'm pushing two carts."
I love the 'sincerity' of people! It's not like we don't know we're driving a caravan whenever we go to a store, we know that the kids are loud and often obnoxious. If you're going to say something about it, be prepared to receive one of the offensive children as a reward for your 'sensitivity'. Had this happen at a soccer game on saturday, people were bugged by the crying (it was 26°, c'mon) and yet no one offered to hold one of the babies...really? :)
When my youngest sister was born it gave my mom 5 kids under age 8, with 3 of us under age 3. My mom says she just didn't go anywhere with all of us for a LONG time.
that's funny... i love tara's response!
You are amazing, Lar...both for handling all your kids so well and for dealing with the people who never learned that it's not polite to stare. Kudos to you a thousand times over!
My only experience with this was when we went to the zoo recently and I took the 5 cousins. I had one lady stop and comment to Jack and I on how behaved the kids were among the masses at the zoo, and I had to admit that they were only ALL mine for the day....and I think that's the trick. None of the kids were going to act up for their aunt and grandpa, right! Maybe we need to do a kid swap sometime and everyone will be on their best behavior while out and about!
One time when Zach was having a tantrum a nosey lady tried to give him rasins. I told her to just leave him alone but she persisted in trying to "help". The threw them at her. She was so offended but I wouldn't apologize. Sometimes people need to learn to mind their own business...don'tcha think?
I usually claim all the kids when I get that comment. From time to time I have had one or two of yours and Moriah. I can see your kids passing as mine, but Moriah, too? Come on people!
Love Tara's comment! I also am amazed how well you handle them out and about. Better than me with only 3.
Sorry, HE threw them at her. I need to proof read before I hit publish.
Really Laura often times those comments are meant as compliments. I know I always try to say something nice to young moms struggling with kids because I've been there.
Once when we came to visit your family for Thanksgiving we went to the mall. Your mom went somewhere and Uncle Dave went to another store and your dad and I were waiting for them with you four, and my six; I was quite pregnant with Sarah. We got lots of stares and comments, most were pretty impressed with us. (Well, of course like Emily's experience at the zoo, no one was misbehaving because they were with cousins.) Your dad and I just smiled and let people think we were one amazing family! Well we are, aren't we?
You ARE supermom! I think you really should sell tickets, heck you might as well get something out of the shopping trip, right?
That is funny. In Utah you would be just one of the many families with many kids. We went to Cali this last week and it was interesting to say the least the way people would watch us. Some were in awe, others were disgusted. I just had to laugh. I will say though that it made me want to step up my game and be the best Mom, to show them that it really is a good thing. Most definitely I found out that we are being watched, because more then once people made comments. Mostly good.
THis is megan not marj. I am using her computer.
Oh my gosh, sometimes I think I want five kids, but then I think that's insane. For now, I'll just keep reading your blog and re-considering :)
And your true response is it's bible thing, you wouldn't understand. Even Christian people are afraid of comments like that.
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