Since I had so much fun with my last blog post, I decided to do another "Five Things" theme. This time, it has nothing to do with single parenting, and everything to do with ridiculous things I've heard people say about parenting/relationships etc. And let me tell you, working at a University affords me the ability to walk behind students of ALL AGES and eavesdrop on their conversations, so I've heard some pretty ridiculous stuff. So, without further ado, here are "Five Ridiculous Things I Heard People Say." (*Disclaimer: I'm not talking specifically about anyone I know, so if it happens to fit your situation, well then, good for you, but I wasn't talking about you!)
1. "Ever since the baby came along, it's like I'm in a prison. I only get to go out twice a week now!"
Well, what did you think having a baby was going to be like? It's not like a kitten or a dog. You contributed your sperm to an egg and created a life. That means you are just as responsible as the mother of the child to look after and care for said child. It's not her responsibility to take care of the child 24 hours a day, although if that's really how you feel, maybe she'd be better off doing it without you anyway! You have a child now, so stop acting like one, grow up, and take responsibility. If you were concerned about your social life, maybe you should've worn a condom.
2. "Just because he cheated with me doesn't mean he'll cheat on me."
We've all heard me talk about this before. While there are the rare circumstances where someone meets the "right" person for them and decides not to cheat anymore, a majority of the time the behavior continues. If he's in a relationship when you meet him and he seems interested, perhaps if you wait around a little while and, gee I don't know, become friends with him before getting naked with him, he will end the relationship and begin a new one with you - one where he didn't cheat. Seems healthier, don't you think?
3. "You're going to spoil her."
This one is one of my favorites - referring to giving a baby too much love, attention, doting, etc. I had someone tell me that if I held my baby too much, I would make her needy. Really? I'm pretty sure she's a baby, and is by nature, needy. Far be it for me to question anyone else's parenting style (which is a personal choice, and I don't understand when it became okay for people to question yours...), but I think I know what my child needs better than you do. And hey, if I'm wrong, then I'll un-spoil her, capisce?
4. "They aren't listening."
I was watching an ex (I'm assuming) husband drop off his kids to his ex-wife in the parking lot this morning, and I happened to overhear their conversation. He was telling her the kids had been fed and what they did this weekend, and she said to him "I don't have time to listen to your s***. Just give me the diaper bag and get the f*** out of my face." All while strapping the toddler into her carseat and yelling for the older kid to put his g**-d*** seatbelt on already. Cute. The ex-husband tells her to stop talking like that because the kids are listening, and she replies to him "maybe you should've thought about that before you (insert explicit term for cheating here). I'm pretty sure they were listening, by the way.
5. "It's not you, it's me."
Translation: It's you. I'm just too nice to tell you that outright.
