Family Relationships and Unsolicited Advice
Submitted by probart
If there is a phrase that I would love to wipe out of the English language, it would be "Well, it never hurt you when you were a child!"
Since the birth of my first child (my wonderful daughter Megan), I have heard this phrase from my mother almost weekly. I know she means well and is just trying to calm me, but really! If I decide not to let my daughter go swimming in a local water hole because of parasite issues, I hear "It never hurt you." If I decide to go with fresh produce instead of canned or frozen, I hear, "Well, it never hurt you." If we make a rule to refrain from certain forms of punishment, again with the "It never hurt you."
I do understand that she is trying to help, but REALLY! How do they know it never hurt us? How do they know that letting us play in the local pond didn't cause some issue with my ovaries and that is why it took so long to get pregnant? I am not saying that is what happened, I am just trying to point out we don't know how our actions will or do effect our children. So, just grin and agree with us. We are freaking out enough on our own dwelling on each little mistake we make!
Since the birth of my first child (my wonderful daughter Megan), I have heard this phrase from my mother almost weekly. I know she means well and is just trying to calm me, but really! If I decide not to let my daughter go swimming in a local water hole because of parasite issues, I hear "It never hurt you." If I decide to go with fresh produce instead of canned or frozen, I hear, "Well, it never hurt you." If we make a rule to refrain from certain forms of punishment, again with the "It never hurt you."
I do understand that she is trying to help, but REALLY! How do they know it never hurt us? How do they know that letting us play in the local pond didn't cause some issue with my ovaries and that is why it took so long to get pregnant? I am not saying that is what happened, I am just trying to point out we don't know how our actions will or do effect our children. So, just grin and agree with us. We are freaking out enough on our own dwelling on each little mistake we make!
Submit!
