The worst double standard

When my husband takes the kids out on an errand (a rare occasion) he comes back glowing from all the compliments he gets about the kids.

Men and women alike (mostly women, but some men too) gush and rave about how cute the kids are (and they ARE cute!!).

People talk to him; they ask him questions; they coo at the baby; they ask G questions; they offer suckers and balloons; they tell my husband what beautiful kids they are (and they ARE beautiful!). In short, they make a fuss.

I have no evidence of this, but I secretly think all the women are glancing at his left hand, checking for a wedding ring and hoping he’ll mention how he is grieving the untimely death of the kids’ mother. (What is it about a single dad that women find so attractive? Do I even have to mention the latest Bachelor Jason loser? WHAT was all the fuss about him?)


When I go out… well… let’s just say, I don’t get quite the fanfare and hoopla. Every once in a while an older grandmotherly type will make a comment. Other mothers are too busy running after or shooshing their own offspring. Young single women couldn’t care less about a woman with kids.

And men?…….. men who see a woman with kids, avert their eyes, become suddenly interested in picking just the right ketchup, or simply do an about-face and run the other way. I mean, for all they know, I left the other seven rug-rats at home, running amok, and I just brought the two cutest ones to the local Target, to troll for a potential daddy.

It’s not fair.

Speaking of cute kids, check out my little Nico starting to walk. He is also finally babbling. We thought for a while he was going to be mute.