I have found that the best way to get unsolicited "advice" and "help" from strangers is to have a baby. It makes even the most shy and timid of women break out of their shell in order to tell you what you're doing wrong. I've learned to smile and nod and take it with a grain of salt. Since I know these are not women who are wanting to hurt me or prove their point, they are just genuinely concerned, I thank them and tell them I'll keep their advice in mind.
I've been lectured on just about everything: working with dangerous horses, drinking empty calorie soda, eating non-organic produce, cooling off with sugar laden otter pops, riding on a deadly motorcycle, being out in the sun too much, eating food that isn't cooked right, lifting stuff that's too heavy, etc.
So my latest stunt that raised the ire of innocent onlookers:
That's right. It was a beautiful day so Ryan and I went kayaking. I did not over exert myself, we stayed close to shore, and, as with everything I do, I listened to the messages my body was sending. However that did not stop a kindly young stranger, who happens to have three children of her own, from approaching me back on shore and expressing her sincere concern that I wasn't being careful enough and that I didn't fully understand the delicacy my condition.
I smiled and thanked her for her concern. It's all part of the adventures in life I guess.
4 comments:
I am trying to figure out what possible danger there could be to an expectant mother in Kyaking.
I am sure she meant well, but then people never did understand the independence of the women of the Cunningham/Eppert family. Keep having fun kiddo.
When I was VERY pregnant with Hillary (a couple weeks before she was born) I fell out of the canoe into the Brazos River trying to save my little Skye who fell overboard. I was too big to pull myself back into the canoe so I just swam to shore. I might have recieved a kindly lecture from someone, but I would have had to wait until they quit laughing! Dad and the older girls were laughing so hard they were crying!
Just wait until you have the baby! Nothing you do will ever be right. With Ransom it started in the hospital with nurses telling me to wake him up to eat and not to wake him up to eat. To use a pacifier and not use a pacifier (it will confuse his sucking and eating habits.) And on and on it continues. Every one has an opinion. And for the record he has never had any confusion when it comes to eating except maybe about when to stop. The kid is 18 months and is a bottomless pit. He's like a little Skye, he eats Lily's left overs and mine if I have any.
It never ends. I can't think of a single week since Gideon's been born that one of Trav's cousins or aunts or other distant relations hasn't told me that I'm doing something wrong. Thus far I've managed to fight the urge to respond with "Well thank you but when I want my kids to be as screwed up as yours I'll as for your advice." Even though that's usually what I'm thinking.
Cali- I love it! I feel that way all the time! I have to keep my mouth shut so I don't say something I'll regret. "What? I should eat more and sleep more so I can gain 80 lbs. like you did with your baby? No thanks!" Seriously, Ryan and I know at least a half a dozen women who claimed to have gained 80 lbs. while pregnant. Must be a Polynesian thing.
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