Too Many, Not Enough....How about mind your own business?

I think it is "funny" how people believe that other people with no children can't "possibly know". Ok, so yeah, you CAN'T possibly "know". Then of course, it tends to be hinted that "IF you were a parent then you COULD "possibly know".

Boy have I got news for you!!! It doesn't end. One of the biggest things about parenthood that I never saw coming with parenthood was how many people "possibly know" so much more than you and aren't afraid to tell you so.

Today's pet peeve is "amount of children".

It is not acceptable to have one child because obviously one child will be pampered and spoiled and generally have a horrid and lonesome life. True to some degree? It CAN be. It all depends on the family and/or child. Coming from 1 of 7 I can't imagine how lonely it could be but I can imagine the sheer bliss of your toys actually being YOURS and not broken or stolen by some one else. Oops, I was the one who broke my sister's doll in a very creative way. Oooooooookay, moving right along.

It is not acceptable to have 2 children unless of course you are so good as to purposefully have 1 boy and 1 girl. Even at that, we know there are cons because obviously, 2 children of opposing genders means no sibling who truly "gets you".

Next, we have 3 children families. Oh yes, that would be my family's category. I have heard so many lame reasons why you simply cannot have 3 children. Among many other statements I have gotten "Well, two's company, three's a crowd". How absolutely silly that can be. Ok, I concede. If there are 3 children of the same gender, perhaps the older two leave out the younger. I don't know. it isn't my life. However, in our household it runs splendidly. They all fight equal opportunity. If for some reason my daughter simply cannot handle not having a companion sister of the same gender, well, she will hopefully get along perfectly with her "girl cousin" who is 2 years younger than her. Really, how much better can it get? My sister fixed that one up for me.

On we go to 4 children. This is when you start hearing "YOU HAVE HOW MANY KIDS?" Ok, so really, 4 kids IS a perfect number, especially if you have been so lucky to get 2 and 2, preferably each 2 the same gender so they will most obviously be best friends forever who never fight over room colors or sides or anything else.

I don't think we need to talk in detail of those people who get looked at as if they have 2 or more heads when they mention anything over 4 kids. We all KNOW they belong in a padded room. There simply is no other explanation.

Ok, so let's get real. Seriously, whose business is it how many children someone decides to have or not have? When did it ever become socially acceptable for people to make the comments they do about someone else's decision on family size? Too bad it isn't socially acceptable to say "Mind your own business"? Why do people NOT think before they speak? Maybe the person has 1 child does so because they tried for years and couldn't have another? Thank you so kindly for rubbing it in their face. Maybe the person who has 7 lived a life as an only child and wanted a whole house full. Either way, it really is none of your business if you aren't being asked to raise them.

Maybe the next time it would be better to mind your own business. Instead of telling me how hard it must be for "sister" to be the only girl and in round about ways suggest that my children will be -psychologically harmed because we have an uneven three, you can simply tell me how blessed I am. I remember the lady who said that with a smile versus the cringe at some other comments I also remember. Be a blessing to someone instead of pulling their day down by reminding them of just one more way they are failing their children because they simply don't feel enough guilt over things they aren't perfect at.