“You never should’ve had kids.”
Can you believe someone had the audacity to shout those words at me, their voice dripping with judgment and disapproval?
What was I doing at that moment? Did I have a baby in a bar? No. Was I drinking and smoking in front of my kids? Absolutely not. Was I losing my temper and yelling at my children? Not even close.
What I was doing when this irritable, middle-aged man decided to cast his judgment was simply…being an average mother. How dare I? How dare I have children and just be an average parent—one who feeds, bathes, hugs, and teaches her little ones?
In that moment, my typical three-year-old was having an age-appropriate tantrum filled with tears and wails. How unfortunate for my “oh-so-burdened” toddler that my request after story time at the library was to use the restroom before heading to the pick-up line for his sister. And how unfortunate for Mr. Grumpy Pants, who felt the need to verbally attack me and my child as I carried my son over my shoulder while my daughter was snug in her carrier.
I can only imagine how that disrupted your day, sir. How irritating it must have been for you to witness a bit of real life unfold right before your eyes. But instead of seeing the love, patience, learning, and growth happening, you chose to focus on the chaos you wanted to see. You were merely projecting your own grumpiness onto my situation.
But here’s the kicker: as much as I wanted to tell you how unfortunate it is for your children to have someone like you in their lives—and perhaps you should’ve thought twice about becoming a parent (if you even are one)—I won’t say that. Instead, I’ll say this: People like you should absolutely have kids. That way, you might just learn how to become a better person through the experience of parenthood.
Good luck with that!
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Summary
In this piece, Jenna Thompson recounts a judgmental encounter with a man who criticized her parenting. She reflects on the challenges of being an average mom, emphasizing the importance of love and patience in raising children. Rather than stooping to the man’s level, she encourages him to embrace parenthood, suggesting it may offer valuable lessons in empathy and understanding.