“Are You Having More Children?”

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I have three young boys. Whenever I take them out, I get the same comments from strangers.

“Wow! Three boys! So are you still trying for a girl?”

I always find this so strange. Maybe they think it’s funny. It is certainly not an original observation or question. They can’t possibly have genuine interest in the growth of my family.

I received this same comment when I had just the first two boys. It was worse when I was pregnant with my youngest son.

I would hear things like, “Are you finally getting a girl?” and “Are you hoping for a girl this time?”

Again, these questions mostly came from strangers. I might have been overly-sensitive from hormones but it was offensive to me.

Why did everyone assume that I was desperate to add a female to our family mix? I wanted to say, “I am just hoping for a healthy baby,” and sometimes I did.

I felt the same way when people were shocked by the size of my belly and continuously asked me if I was having twins. My five foot, two inch frame didn’t have much torso room for a baby to grow so with each pregnancy, I grew out.

I was big. By the time that I was close to delivering, my body looked like someone had stuck a large oval watermelon under my shirt, pointing out. Still, I was never having twins.

People say insensitive things to pregnant women, probably without realizing it. Many strangers would go from smiling politely at my face, then look down at my belly, then look back at me with their eyes wide with surprise.

This would be the time that they would say something like, “Wow! You look like you're about to pop any minute!”

Here is a tip, no women ever wants to hear that she looks like she is “about to pop.” Especially, not a woman that is preparing for motherhood and has grown uncomfortable in her own body. I grew so tired of the foolish comments that I began thinking of creative comebacks.

Yes, people say strange things. I continue to be surprised with the interest in my reproduction. I am not sure why people are so quick to ask you if you are having more children.

I am thrilled with the family that I am blessed with. This is why it is irritating to me when people look at me and shake their heads, and say, “Three boys. You poor thing. Are you still hoping for a girl?”

My reply is usually the same. I look at my sweet kids with the biggest smile and respond, “My boys keep me busy but we have a lot of fun.”

Edited by Jody Smith

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