Comments from strangers that have hurt?

[EmilyF]

HI all, I'm Emily. Mom to Levi (2.5) and Patrick (7 months.) When Levi was not yet 2 (but looked 3 because he was [and still is to a lesser degree] big for his age) we were at a thrift store. He wasn't talking yet (he was a wee bit behind, just enough to be a bit odd to some especially given his size) and this little girl asked her mother why. The woman's response was "Honey, some people just don't teach their child right."
I was livid. Anyone else have some bad stranger comments to share?

 

[Caffeinated]

What a terrible thing to say! I'm so sorry you had to hear that! I have a friend whose daughter is quite tall for her age, so when she was 2 or 3 and acting her age but looking a couple years older, she got some rude looks and comments. It's a good reminder to us to not make assumptions.

 

[Neenie1]

That's terrible. Unfortunately there are always going to be people that say cruel things.

 

[MyaShane]

Oh my! What an insensitive and ignorant comment! I'm so sorry for you! Don't take it to heart!

I'm trying to prepare myself for this as well as my 3yo is way off the charts in size too (daddy is 6'4!) and her speech is a bit delayed due to being born with a soft palate cleft. So far I can't recall anything really hurtful being said, but I fear it's coming.

Welcome by the way!

 

[bugaboo]

I can relate... my oldest daughter had some developmental delays and I heard comments now and then too. I'm sorry that happened to you.

 

[Meshavrischika]

HI all, I'm Emily. Mom to Levi (2.5) and Patrick (7 months.) When Levi was not yet 2 (but looked 3 because he was [and still is to a lesser degree] big for his age) we were at a thrift store. He wasn't talking yet (he was a wee bit behind, just enough to be a bit odd to some especially given his size) and this little girl asked her mother why. The woman's response was "Honey, some people just don't teach their child right."
I was livid. Anyone else have some bad stranger comments to share?

same thing happened to my husband at the doctor's office. Randi has always been big for her age. I wouldn't be too upset about it. Obviously the woman has no clue how old he is. If she didn't ask, it's her problem, not yours.

 

[ShannonMcCatholic]

I'm awful--because I woulda said "You mean like your parents- forfailing to teach you not to say rude things in earshot of the person about whom you're speaking?"

I am awful about being snide and sarcastic when people say idiotic things....

None of my kids really "talk" until they are 2...but if you sat down with them--you'd be blown away with the complexity of their language and the topics which they choose to discuss. My youngest daughter, at age, three, is the only one so far who has had a longer period of more kid-like speech...the older three by age three were incredibly complex talkers....

 

[lucypevensie]

Wow, how RUDE! I'd have a hard time keeping my mouth shut after hearing that.

I haven't had a lot of rude comments myself. The only one I can think of wasn't even that bad of a comment, but it was more the woman's accusatory, high-horse tone of voice. I was at a neighborhood rummage sale with my baby daughter riding in the stroller. One woman came up to me and said "I HOPE you have SUNSCREEN on that baby!" First off, I don't believe in slapping on sunscreen if you're going to be outdoors (and much of that in the shade) for a short amount of time. Second place, why'd she have to give me her opinion in such a hateful manner? It bothered me for a long time.

 

[Black-bird fly]

More than once and strangely almost all of them happened at Wal-mart.

I actually had a woman walk up to the cart after we just walked into the store and talk directly to my daughter saying "Oh baby, clearly your momma doesn't know that babies need hats when it's cold outside." then she glanced my way. It was in the 50s that day and had I actually had a hat on the child she would have screamed hysterically the entire time the hat was on her head.

 

[TexasSky]

I'm awful--because I woulda said "You mean like your parents- forfailing to teach you not to say rude things in earshot of the person about whom you're speaking?"

Amen!!!!!

 

[TexasSky]

P.S. Ladies with children who are not speaking yet, or not speaking clearly yet, don't let people worry you so much.

My mother was deaf in one year, and had speech issues as a result, so much so that some people thought she was retarded, but she was a brilliant woman who went on to become the head nurse of a major hospital intensive care unit.

My sister was simply one of those children who pretty much refused to speak until she was much older than children normally speak. People were worried about her, but her doctor kept telling my parents everything appeared "healthy and normal". Finally, when she couldn't get what she wanted by pointing, she spoke, in a full sentence - and she never stopped.

: )

 

[GolfingMom]

The majority of hurtful comments came from nursing moms commenting on my choice to formula feed
I've also gotten plenty of comments on sending my kiddo's to public school.
So not comments so much about the development of my children but about parenting

 

[Lena75]

I only remember getting one rude remark from an elderly woman in the doctor's office. She told me my daughter who was barely a year old, was spoiled. I just sat there looking at her thinking, "Lady, you don't know anything about me or my kid."

 

[-~Truth_N_Trust~-]

More than once and strangely almost all of them happened at Wal-mart.

I actually had a woman walk up to the cart after we just walked into the store and talk directly to my daughter saying "Oh baby, clearly your momma doesn't know that babies need hats when it's cold outside." then she glanced my way. It was in the 50s that day and had I actually had a hat on the child she would have screamed hysterically the entire time the hat was on her head.

oh yeah, i get those comments! "make sure you look after him!" from total strangers is a pretty common occurance!

 

[jessesgirl]

Yeah...but I'm the kind of person, especially in that situation where I likely would have popped off right back to her. I gotta work on that.

We have gotten comments more than anything about me wearing Justin (strange, huh?) We were at a thrift store the other day and a lady was telling her friend how uncomfortable he looked and how lazy and awful I was for putting him in his carrier like that. Poor baby. I looked right back at her and told her that if one of us was lazy, it was him. I wished that I could be carried around all day. I also told her that he was perfectly happy in his little cubbie and it would probably be best if she minded her own business.

I get lots of comments about the fact that I still wear J. I've had to purchase a specialized carrier to be able to, but it is so much easier than pushing a stroller or puttin ghim in a buggy, at least for me.

 

[Black-bird fly]

Yeah...but I'm the kind of person, especially in that situation where I likely would have popped off right back to her. I gotta work on that.

We have gotten comments more than anything about me wearing Justin (strange, huh?) We were at a thrift store the other day and a lady was telling her friend how uncomfortable he looked and how lazy and awful I was for putting him in his carrier like that. Poor baby. I looked right back at her and told her that if one of us was lazy, it was him. I wished that I could be carried around all day. I also told her that he was perfectly happy in his little cubbie and it would probably be best if she minded her own business.

I get lots of comments about the fact that I still wear J. I've had to purchase a specialized carrier to be able to, but it is so much easier than pushing a stroller or puttin ghim in a buggy, at least for me.

I forgot about those comments. Don't feel bad. My Bird is 4 and Pirate is going to be 3 and I still wear them when I know they are tired. (They are on the light side for age but both are tall.)

 

[jessesgirl]

Yeah...Justin is a rolly polly sixteen month old...He's a big guy...and I have people all the time tell me that he is too big to be wearing and asking how in the world my back doesn't kill me. I'm thinking yeah, my back would really be killing me if I were bent over, chasing him all over creation.

 

[jessesgirl]

I also get the comments about him not wearing socks or shoes (mostly when i wear him)...people will come up and grab his feet and be like....oh the baby's so cold...he's so cold. I'm sorry mom doesn't take care of you.

Seriously? It is 90 degrees outside and kids pouring down sweat. You're out of your ever lovin' mind.

I'm ranting now. Really, I am...sorry. *sees herself out*

 

[Black-bird fly]

Oooh, I do not like strangers touching my children!
You know I can keep my mouth shut or at minimum tactful when it comes to strangers saying things but keep your strange hands off my children.

 

[jessesgirl]

They have most always been little bitty old ladies. If I decked them, they'd probably break a hip or something

Note: I wouldn't *really* deck an old lady, but it crossed my mind a few times