Mom for a day
Saturday afternoon was my twin nephews' third birthday party. This involved me shepherding young children around a gym for a good portion of the afternoon, and eventually holding week-old baby while her mom took a break. Not that it's never happened before, but twice people I didn't know assumed I was a mother. It's not an odd assumption - I'm the right age for a youngish mom with little kids. The odd thing is how people treat you when they assume you're with your child.
I'm not talking about discrimination. It's just a different world. I know I'm not telling those of you with children anything new, but it was so weird to have moms I didn't know approach me and exclaim over how cute "my" child was, and then spontaneously share anecdotes about their own kids like we were old friends. ("My youngest was a preemie, so tiny like your little one, and now she's in gymnastics here and we can't keep her still! I bet your daughter will be the same way.")
Maybe it wouldn't seem so strange if I lived closer to that world, but at this point I don't. At all. I visit my family a couple times a month, and am well versed in the ways of the children, but my life in Madison is very much adultcentric. I work at a company of young professionals, where the median age is something like 27. I live with a college friend, I keep nice things on low shelves and cleaning products in unlocked cabinets, none of my close friends have kids, I stay up until all hours, I go out when I want, I travel at a moment's notice. I am not a parent. So when someone assumes I am, my world view gets messed up for a little while. It turns my perspective around, and it's rather disorienting. ("My God, that could really be me right now.")
I don't think I really have a point. Just something I was thinking about today.
I'm not talking about discrimination. It's just a different world. I know I'm not telling those of you with children anything new, but it was so weird to have moms I didn't know approach me and exclaim over how cute "my" child was, and then spontaneously share anecdotes about their own kids like we were old friends. ("My youngest was a preemie, so tiny like your little one, and now she's in gymnastics here and we can't keep her still! I bet your daughter will be the same way.")
Maybe it wouldn't seem so strange if I lived closer to that world, but at this point I don't. At all. I visit my family a couple times a month, and am well versed in the ways of the children, but my life in Madison is very much adultcentric. I work at a company of young professionals, where the median age is something like 27. I live with a college friend, I keep nice things on low shelves and cleaning products in unlocked cabinets, none of my close friends have kids, I stay up until all hours, I go out when I want, I travel at a moment's notice. I am not a parent. So when someone assumes I am, my world view gets messed up for a little while. It turns my perspective around, and it's rather disorienting. ("My God, that could really be me right now.")
I don't think I really have a point. Just something I was thinking about today.
posted by BeeKay at 12:07 AM
3 Comments:
I just spent the afternoon with a friend who kept on handing me her 1-year old! It was fun but awkward (since I don't have kids) so I can relate!
I definitely understand what your saying. I still feel really young and I don't consider myself old at all. I on the other hand have very few friends left that are single and in the same boat as me. Almost all of my good friends have at least 2 kids! It's really really strange feeling young - yet girls the same age as me are all "old" because of the restrictions on their lives. Does that make sense? It really IS like a parellel universe. It totally messes me up!
But you do spend a lot of time with your sister's kids, yes? It's like the difference isn't between being with kids and not, it's with how other people percieve it.
Post a Comment
<< Home