We were at the park. Just me, my dog and my very gorgeous 12-year-old son when a stranger came up to us. There was something in the way that he approached us that made me feel a little uneasy, perhaps it was just because he was so determined to get to us. He didn’t look menacing as such, just resolute. He really needed to tell us something!
We had been happily playing with a ball minding our own business (although admittedly Little Pencil was way happier than me – he is much fonder of a ball game than I am) when this man approached.
“Is this your child?” he asked me
“Y..e…sss” I said with part of my heart diving over to protect my son
“He’s very thin!” he pointed out rather unnecessarily. If there’s anyone that knows what my son looks like from behind, in front, from above and below – it’s me. And yes he’s very thin.
“You should feed him more” he continued.
“Fuck off” I said in my head. Outwardly I said “thank-you” and I walked away grabbing Little Pencil with me.
As I walked away my mind was being battered by a thousand thoughts
Men might best price for viagra need fondling, often a while. The main purpose of valsonindia.com cialis without prescription Stem Alive is to regenerate stem cells so that they “wake up” and begin to perform as they used to. When the customer gets this peptide he or she may not want best levitra price you to get the generic version. However, there a few restrictions on using ED drugs. cialis without prescription Does he think I don’t feed my child? Do people think I neglect him?
Am I doing something wrong? I am trying my hardest. Maybe I should be giving him more supplements?
Is he always going to get picked on by useless strangers because he’s skinny?
I wanted to yell at the interfering him and tell him that my son was perfect and healthy and happy and that he was born early and had gastro-intestinal issues and difficulty eating and putting on weight even at age 12. That we had been to nutritionists and doctors and dieticians and pediatricians and they were okay with him.
And I questioned why I wanted to explain my son’s medical history with some random rude man at the park and I realised I just wanted him to know how happy my son was. But I also wanted to rid myself of any guilt.
God knows how much guilt I feel about my son’s medical past.
But all I did in that instant was tell my son that he was perfect. And that I loved him. And that he looked awesome and strong and beautiful. And that the man in the park was a fuckwit.
Little Pencil at the park – notice how perfect he is
If that ever happens again call me and put me on speakerphone. I’LL tell the guy to fuck off. With pleasure.
Putting you on speed dial right now. Oh look you were already there x
Make it a conference call. We could sell tickets to an event where Kerri tells off people like this one. (I tried to use the swear word term but it just isn’t me).
Good lord what a an f*wit. People stun me with their stupidity & lack of forethought. This creep has no idea what could be your family circumstance, i.e. terminal illness, recent car accident. The hurt and embarrassment he could worsen by flapping his trap!!! Put that guilt away, it doesn’t deserve real estate in your head. ((hugs)) You have a gorgeous, obviously happy little dude there. There are lots of “skinny” kids out there. I remember in my 70s childhood MOST boys looked just like your son!
Thank you frangipanidreamz
It’s a terrible thing this guilt that mothers feel. But at least I do know that he’s happy! A happy little 70’s retro kid – that makes ME happy 🙂
Ooooh this made my blood boil Lana! I’ve got three beautiful kids. My oldest is like your Little P; very thin. He’s asthmatic, and his medication makes his heart race which seems to speed up his metabolism. Aside from this he just doesn’t eat much. He’s a bundle of nervous energy but he regularly goes to the doctor, paediatrician and nutritionist. He’s a healthy, but skinny, kid.
Onto my girl. She’s epileptic. Her medication has the opposite effect. It makes her bloated around her mid section. She is painfully aware of this and it breaks my heart when I catch her looking in the mirror and trying to suck her tummy in. She’s 6 years old.
(I also have another child but he currently has no illness or ailments and I don’t want to jinx him so we’ll just talk about Girl and Big Boy today..)
When my two are seen together I constantly get comments from strangers about how one is very very thin and the other is “chunky”. (Note to people everywhere: do not call any child Chunky, ever. Especially when they’re STANDING RIGHT THERE!!!) However, strangers I can deal with. They are ignorant, and have no knowledge of my kids’ medical history. FAMILY MEMBERS on the other hand, make me so, so mad with their intensive comments that I just want to slap them. I constantly get accused of “not being strict enough” with my son’s food intake and am forever being warned with my girl that “her weight will be harder to shift as she gets older”.
Really, I could bang on and on about it but I’ll just say I hear ya Lana. People should just keep their opinions to themselves. It’s painful enough dealing with, in particular, my daughter’s condition and everything that comes with it, without the poor little thing being worried about how she looks at age 6.
End Rant. x
I know how hard it is – and to have two to deal with would be even more horrendous (especially when their health problems are ongoing). I too have had the occasional family member telling me what I am doing wrong and what he should and shouldn’t be eating. I have no hesitation in telling them to er, shut up.
What I just find so obnoxious about the strangers (and there have been a fair few of them) is that they always speak in front of my child and that’s not on. At least family (however misguided they are) are sensible enough to know not to talk about it in front of him)
PS Your kids are double awesome extra lucky to have you as their mum !
Ha thanks Lana, my kids may disagree with you, they don’t really think I’m awesome at the moment because the tv is banned…
My biggest issue is the fact that people say this stuff in front of the kids. Do they think my child is deaf?? That he/she can’t understand what they’re saying??
Look at poor LittlePencil with his big, sad, hungry eyes pleading with you for a sandwich. Oh wait…. No, he’s perfect and happy!!
Fuckwit.
Lol! and thank you x
A fuckwit indeed. And an asshole.
I think you summed him up really well 🙂
He’s perfect. Besides, Mr. Pencil was skinny too…and look how he filled out! In fact if little pencil’s path branches towards his dad’s side, it’s best that he stay thin for now…’coz we’ve all seen what’s to come. And it ain’t purty as we say here in Texas.
Mr Pencil has become quite gaunt waiting at the post office for certain family holiday videos…… just saying 😉
It’s little pencil who should be waiting at the post office. Mr. and Mrs. Pencil are banned for life from viewing certain family videos (the new one will feature a Safari and Cape Town I might add) because of their cutting disrespectful remarks about said videos.
Let’s face it, Mr. Pencil would become quite gaunt waiting at the gym.
Would He (fuckwit) say anything to you if little pencil was fat? Probably not. You should have told him that his insightful, caring and informative comments were so helpful that you and pencil are going out for lunch…..on him – thanks fuckwit!!! XX
Fuckwits are fuckwits. Seriously. How dare he?
ok…so the man was over-intrusive and giving unwanted advice…was he any worse than many well meaning but unhelpful strangers who shower mothers with unwanted advice from the time they are pregnant and beyond teenage years? I think not. This is about your stuff. You are torturing yourself over the health of your boy all by yourself. I feel you. I am a mother too. But please do not blame a somewhat innocent stranger about your your own guilt. After all, you have nothing to feel guilty about and your son has nothing to be ashamed of. he looks pretty perfect to me!
Just remember: it’s more about them (the stranger at the park) than it is about you. He probably has some kind of mental problem and isn’t functioning normally. Spooky though.