You Don't Look Old Enough To be Their Mom

Walking down the street to the park one day a little old lady (who was very cute btw, I adore old people) asked my daughter who did her hair so pretty. My little babe replied in that cute soft little voice she usually only reserves for strangers "My Mommy" and looks up at me. Cute Little Old lady replies "Well she did a beautiful job sweetheart". So I then answer "Thank You". Cue up the looks of disdain. She immediately says to me with her tone very different than it started "Well YOU don't even look old enough to be THEIR MOM. How old Are you?" Pause.  Big Pause. Enter stage right for this mornings rant.

This old lady isn't cute--But that is pretty similar to the look I got

I imagine if I had already turned 35 this would have been a flattering statement and I would have smiled and moved on.  BUT I'm not 35 and I didn't move on.  I was actually offended a tad bit.  Here is why:

1. LOOK Cute little Old Lady I know you watch the news and sixty minutes and shit teen pregnancy has been on the rise for quite sometime now. And I Know you have spent many a 7 o clock shaking your head in disdain at the numbers and children you are convinced are clearly going to suffer because of this. I am no one to shake your head at and my kids are probably way more awesome and will be more successful than the kids you waited until you were forty to have. (At least I know I will try my damnedest to see to that). I loathe people who act as if they are unaware of the obvious turn society has taken in terms of parenting age.

2. My grandmother lived to be 97 years old and while she was a tad bit disappointed (this is clearly an understatement , but I digress) that I was being made a mother while still in school, she did reflect with me on how when she was growing up the average age for childbearing began at around the same age. Granted, they also had long since been discharged from school and married to some guy with an acre or two to be inherited. The age was sixteen on average. Sooo while times have changed .....my getting pregnant at sixteen was by far no new occurrence.

The wife here does NOT look very old to me....Just saying.

3. THANKS for creating and unneeded or desired awkward moment with my pretty damn smart kids. Now they are asking questions they already know the answer to..... like how old were you when I was born?, and You were still in high school? and Where did I go while you were at school all day? Nothing like Judgement day with your own damn kids.
Sidenote: My school had a daycare and while I have personally heard people make crude remarks about high schools with day cares- this is actually an awesome thing. YES there are girls who abuse and take it for granted. THAT girl was NOT me.  I was able to breast feed (yup, I breast fed because I read in a book that breastfed babies have higher IQ's and better bonds with their moms- yup, I READ) and finish school on time with Honors while still participating in various academic extracurricular activities  --YUP! I was a Mathlete -first team to place first in many years at my school.

Apparently some teens cant graduate if they get pregnant--FALSE 

4. Why couldn't I have just been damned good looking for my age? Why does it matter how old I am? Clearly you have been graced with the presence of a good looking, well mannered, and freshly groomed (you noted this yourself, it is the Very reason for this morning's rant) set of little girls. However old or not old I am, at the very least I am doing a great job on the surface......leave it at that Cute Little Old Lady.

We look wholesome and normal Right?

5. Last but certainly not least.  When you behave that way Cute little old lady you make me rant on my blog. I would like to think that the thoughts and funny looks from others would not bother me.....but they do. I realize that my Mothering age and maybe even my parenting style are a bit unorthodox but I'm still a mommy. And shouldn't all us mommies no matter how old, young or in between be supportive of each other. I'm sure in all your years as a mom and grandma and whatever you have discovered (more times than I) that this shit isn't easy. Offer up a bit of mothering advice- for those moms out there who don't want your advice a bit of encouragement. Keep it light- maybe tell me how to get that grass stain out, a place to buy really foofy, fluffy, puffy Easter dresses- i dunno. But DO save that awful look I cant get out of my head. I just don't need that shit.
Second Sidenote: Thank You MTV for making it extremely apparent to most of the world that Teen Moms are clearly train wrecks. We are not those girls on that show are THEE worst. It sickens me really. There is nothing glamorous or TV worthy about the struggle, we make our beds and we lay in them. PERIOD. if you are smart....You figure out a better way to make your bed and you make it beneficial for everyone especially those kids.... what you DON'T do is try and find a camera crew to watch you make some of the same mistakes older moms make and have it magnified and exaggerated because you are on TV and the world needs someone to criticize.


Did I dispel any thoughts any may have had about teen moms- probably not. But I got that shit off my chest to an audience, However small. Have a good day folks. I guess that's all I have to say about that.  In my Forrest Gump voice - giggles.  See I'm better already.


~Mommy rouge