Love To Like Them

This post was written at 90 miles per hour.  I am on a mission…a mission to battle a gigantic, ugly misconception.  And it has to do with my kids…so watch out, world.

It seems like every time I go anywhere – grocery store, library, Chick Fil A, the dentist, you name it – and I have all 4 kids with me (which I always do because we homeschool), I get some serious negative attention.  Looks of disapproval, pity, shock, disgust, confusion…I have seen all of these looks pass across the faces of fellow WalMart shoppers.  Comments like, “Are those all yours?” and “Good luck” and “I’m glad I’m not you” are ones that I hear all too often.

And it’s not because my kids are out of control (even though that happens sometimes, obviously).  No, it’s simply because I have 4 kids.  And they’re with me.  Out in public.  I could have 4 little Mother Theresa’s all piled into the buggy and still the comments would come.

For years I have been experiencing the looks and the remarks.  I’m not embarrassed by them…mostly I’m surprised at how many fellow women could be so insensitive.  And just recently, I’ve begun wondering “Why?”  Why the assumed notion that I should be a sad, miserable, lonely momma-martyr out and about with her kids?

I don’t believe that all of the people who are basically ready to put my picture on their “what not to turn out like” poster actually hate kids.  But something is for sure causing a lot of people out there to think that it’s totally normal and acceptable to pity the mommas.

They must think that we don’t like our kids.

Sadly, it’s probably a pretty legit assumption.  As I have been mulling over all of this and recalling past instances of public pity, I realized that I never really defended my children.  I would laugh or sort of agree or something like that, but I never really went to bat for them.

How I wish I could go back and look every one of those people in the eye and tell them that I love and LIKE my kids.  That they are the best gift I’ve ever been given.  That I would not change one single thing about one single thing of my life.  And then I would, without prompt, introduce each one of my special and likeable kids and give a fun fact about each.

Talk about the unexpected.

My children should and need to hear their momma publicly proclaim her enjoyment of them!  Most kids would easily say that their momma loves them…but how many know that their momma truly likes them?  That being out in public with them, being in the car with them, sharing a life with them is not a drudgery but a source of happiness and joy for their momma?

I’m tired of tolerating the white-washed insults of passers-by.  If my children are going to hear strangers pity their momma because of their own existence, then they are also going to hear their momma defend them.  The are going to hear their momma champion their preciousness.

Watch out, world.

How Have You Publicly Defended And Loved Your Own Children?

Related posts that you might enjoy:

• Having Lots Of Kids: A Blessing, Not A Burden
• Champion Your Kids Rather Than Change Them
• Regrets That I Will Never Have
• When I’m An Old Lady

Lauren Souers

Hi, my name is Lauren. I am the wife of one fine man and the momma of four (huge) young children – three boys and one princess! I love all of them. I mostly clean up messes and feed people all day, and it’s really fun to write about it. Jesus is the rock of my family – we love and serve a mighty King! I hope you leave here full of hope that “tired” can be good.