What’s the worst thing another mother ever said to you?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My son had three accidents the year he was eight, each of which resulted in a broken arm or sprain. I swear I am a good parent and they were really accidents: the first was when he fell off his bike outside and broke his wrist, the second was when he was fell on his other arm while playing soccer with his friend, and the third was when he slipped in the shower and sprained his ankle somehow.

Another mom told me that “there has been talk” about his injuries and then she asked me if I’m feeling OK, and if I’ve been stressed. The implication was clear: she thought I was hurting my child, and apparently had discussed it with others.

I have five kids. One of them was constantly getting injured. We had three ER visits in one month for that child alone. One for a broken bone. Two for stitches. I told the doctor I expected a reserved parking space.

You just have to laugh people's ridiculousness sometimes. Had I not had four older kids, it probably would have really bothered me.

[Anonymous]

When I announced I was having my second boy "oh so now you will have to have a third to try for a girl"

[Anonymous]

Did you have your baby yet? (Just after a c-section)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Discussing religious education with another mother and she mentioned that her child could correctly recite all the books of the Bible, Old & New Testament. I expressed admiration and noted that my (older) child probably couldn't do that. She said, "oh, if my kid couldn't do it, I would just feel like I had failed at being a mother." Yikes.

I grew up in the southern baptist cult. I could recite all the books of the Bible by second grade. I remember Bible Drill and Training Union. I can still recite the books of the Bible, both OT and NT in order. You can imagine how often I use that skill.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:My son was having a major meltdown on the metro after work one day, and a pregnant woman looked at me and said, “my child will never behave like that.”

It had been a bad day, after a bad week, and I was exhausted.

The exact same thing happened to me. At that point I’ve already decided to drop my filters with perfect strangers. I told her she may yet have a stillborn so let’s not get cocky. She almost sat down. I told her it would teach her to stop saying stupid shit to complete strangers and exited.

That’s hilarious. I appreciate you. People on metro are often intolerant dicks. Even the pregnant ladies. I hope she didn’t swallow too many flies and learned her lesson (though I doubt it).

So you are an actual a hole then. Not only do you let your kid bother other riders on a train but then you hurl deeply offensive insults at the strangers that you were already bothering. What a jerk.

I don’t have filters with strangers either so if the kid is being an out of control monster then I will say so. Don’t like it? Keep your own kids to themselves then.

That is a horrible thing to say to someone. I mean, I'm not against fighting fire with fire but this is just unnecessarily cruel.

People who make mean comments to others shouldn’t be surprised if they get it back.

And this is exactly why our country (and much of our world) is so violent and so angry. You don't have to return an unkind comment with an unkind comment. All you are doing is feeding the bully. You are much better off saying "Wow, that was really hurtful". Let them feel shame instead of anger.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:"Why isn't your child dressed more warmly?" Yes, he was underdressed for the chilly day. Yes, I told him to dress more warmly. No, he wasn't cold, because I asked him repeatedly.

And I'm a dad, so it's a mix of condescending criticism like that, because obviously dads are idiots, and the over-the-top compliments for basically just being there, because, Wow! A dad taking care of his kids!

LOL be grateful you've never encountered Russian grandmas. Every time you leave the house with a small child, there's like a platoon of them outside interrogating everyone on where is the baby's hat and socks and scarf why is his neck showing he must be hungry/cold/bothered....all to complete strangers Americans are downright gentle after that treatment to me....

Older German women are like that as well. My child was apparently always underdressed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:In elementary school, I came in from work to see one of the performances that kids do for some holiday. One of the SAHMs saw me and looked me up and down in my suit and asked if I had to go back to work after the show. So I said that yes I have afternoon court appearances so I would be heading out after the post show "reception." She responded, "Well, it's so nice that she got to see you for an hour today. I am sure that really means a lot!" It really hurt my feelings back then. Now I would laugh and say oh she would tell you she sees far too much of me.

Something similar happened to me. I had been a SAHM for years. I left an abusive marriage and had to start all over again with two young children. I had been at my new job for about three months, and of course I was feeling the mom guilt. My sister took my kids to a summer birthday party. It was during my lunch hour so I was able to sneak out for a little while and come to the party. There was a big circle of SAHMs in lawn chairs watching the kids play - basically, me in a former life. One of them saw me and said, "AnnaBeth! It's so good that you could spend a little time with your kids today".

It broke me. She probably wasn't even trying to sound judgmental. But it really hurt. If it had happened a year later, I wouldn't have given it a thought. But at the time, I was really struggling and that comment just put me over the edge. I held it together for a little while, then got into my car and just cried.

My kids are all adults now, but I still think about that comment often. We have the ability to hurt others deeply with our words.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:When I announced I was having my second boy "oh so now you will have to have a third to try for a girl"

. That doesn’t sound horrible

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:My son was having a major meltdown on the metro after work one day, and a pregnant woman looked at me and said, “my child will never behave like that.”

It had been a bad day, after a bad week, and I was exhausted.

The exact same thing happened to me. At that point I’ve already decided to drop my filters with perfect strangers. I told her she may yet have a stillborn so let’s not get cocky. She almost sat down. I told her it would teach her to stop saying stupid shit to complete strangers and exited.

That’s hilarious. I appreciate you. People on metro are often intolerant dicks. Even the pregnant ladies. I hope she didn’t swallow too many flies and learned her lesson (though I doubt it).

So you are an actual a hole then. Not only do you let your kid bother other riders on a train but then you hurl deeply offensive insults at the strangers that you were already bothering. What a jerk.

I don’t have filters with strangers either so if the kid is being an out of control monster then I will say so. Don’t like it? Keep your own kids to themselves then.

That is a horrible thing to say to someone. I mean, I'm not against fighting fire with fire but this is just unnecessarily cruel.

People who make mean comments to others shouldn’t be surprised if they get it back.

And this is exactly why our country (and much of our world) is so violent and so angry. You don't have to return an unkind comment with an unkind comment. All you are doing is feeding the bully. You are much better off saying "Wow, that was really hurtful". Let them feel shame instead of anger.

Or, you could just say - what child? You have a child? And then feign surprise when she points to her bump and say oh, I thought you were just fat. Congratulations, I guess.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:My son was having a major meltdown on the metro after work one day, and a pregnant woman looked at me and said, “my child will never behave like that.”

It had been a bad day, after a bad week, and I was exhausted.

The exact same thing happened to me. At that point I’ve already decided to drop my filters with perfect strangers. I told her she may yet have a stillborn so let’s not get cocky. She almost sat down. I told her it would teach her to stop saying stupid shit to complete strangers and exited.

That’s hilarious. I appreciate you. People on metro are often intolerant dicks. Even the pregnant ladies. I hope she didn’t swallow too many flies and learned her lesson (though I doubt it).

So you are an actual a hole then. Not only do you let your kid bother other riders on a train but then you hurl deeply offensive insults at the strangers that you were already bothering. What a jerk.

I don’t have filters with strangers either so if the kid is being an out of control monster then I will say so. Don’t like it? Keep your own kids to themselves then.

That is a horrible thing to say to someone. I mean, I'm not against fighting fire with fire but this is just unnecessarily cruel.

People who make mean comments to others shouldn’t be surprised if they get it back.

And this is exactly why our country (and much of our world) is so violent and so angry. You don't have to return an unkind comment with an unkind comment. All you are doing is feeding the bully. You are much better off saying "Wow, that was really hurtful". Let them feel shame instead of anger.

Or, you could just say - what child? You have a child? And then feign surprise when she points to her bump and say oh, I thought you were just fat. Congratulations, I guess.

But why would you do that? Why be unkind? You are simply lowering yourself to the level of the bully. You become what you despise.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:My son was having a major meltdown on the metro after work one day, and a pregnant woman looked at me and said, “my child will never behave like that.”

It had been a bad day, after a bad week, and I was exhausted.

The exact same thing happened to me. At that point I’ve already decided to drop my filters with perfect strangers. I told her she may yet have a stillborn so let’s not get cocky. She almost sat down. I told her it would teach her to stop saying stupid shit to complete strangers and exited.

That’s hilarious. I appreciate you. People on metro are often intolerant dicks. Even the pregnant ladies. I hope she didn’t swallow too many flies and learned her lesson (though I doubt it).

So you are an actual a hole then. Not only do you let your kid bother other riders on a train but then you hurl deeply offensive insults at the strangers that you were already bothering. What a jerk.

I don’t have filters with strangers either so if the kid is being an out of control monster then I will say so. Don’t like it? Keep your own kids to themselves then.

That is a horrible thing to say to someone. I mean, I'm not against fighting fire with fire but this is just unnecessarily cruel.

People who make mean comments to others shouldn’t be surprised if they get it back.

And this is exactly why our country (and much of our world) is so violent and so angry. You don't have to return an unkind comment with an unkind comment. All you are doing is feeding the bully. You are much better off saying "Wow, that was really hurtful". Let them feel shame instead of anger.

Bullies don’t feel shame—they enjoy making other people feel bad because they are self-centered and lack empathy. Bullies need people to stand up to them.

[Anonymous]

If your kids were misbehaving enough on the metro someone said something to you, it’s time to take stock. I guarantee after you got out the rest of the car was talking about how awful you and your kids are.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If your kids were misbehaving enough on the metro someone said something to you, it’s time to take stock. I guarantee after you got out the rest of the car was talking about how awful you and your kids are.

Yes but were they saying well my child would nevah!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If your kids were misbehaving enough on the metro someone said something to you, it’s time to take stock. I guarantee after you got out the rest of the car was talking about how awful you and your kids are.

Yes let’s lock autistic kids up in wards, pregnant ladies on metro may get upset!

[Anonymous]

My ex just told me I am disgusting and blamed cancelling her one night a month of visitation on me because I wont get a PCR test. I have no exposure, am ALL the vaxxed and asymptomatic.