Member LINNIET recalls this postpartum gem: "Gosh, you look as if you still have one in there"-- magnified by the many times she heard it. In fact, that seems to be a large part of the problem-- the repetition of "comic" material that wasn't that good to begin with. About all you can do sometimes, the moms-to-be conclude, is practice patience and try to keep your sense of humor-- all of which will come in handy with the new baby. Here then are a few thoughts to keep in mind as you wend your way along this poignant path called pregnancy: Remember what Nietzsche said The 19th-century German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche might have been onto something when he noted that "That which does not kill us makes us stronger." If you can endure pregnancy and all its pitfalls, you can handle anything-- and it's good training for the parenting trials to come, when your sweet little baby graduates to the terrible twos. This too shall pass Remember that at the end of your toil-- your morning sickness, swollen ankles, and aching back-- you'll have a beautiful baby boy or girl, while the person with the snide sneer will still be as unhappy... or envious... or whatever... as they've always been. Imagine yourself surrounded by an invisible armor of positive energy, and take comfort in knowing that all those nasty remarks will fade into well-deserved oblivion when that little bundle is finally placed in your arms. Have fun coming up with snappy comebacks With the right spirit, you can make yourself chuckle by thinking up snappy comebacks to the rude or just plain dumb things that come out of people's mouths as they try to interact with you, the alien species known as the pregnant woman. Keeping in mind that pregnant women have always made people nervous, you can adopt a charitable attitude to those poor schmucks who mean well but don't know anything. With a little restraint-- or just time to cool down-- you may even come up with retorts that you can actually use to put the impertinent in their place, albeit gently. Keep your sense of humor Like six-year-olds who tell the same goofy joke over and over, friends and acquaintances tend to think they're being brilliant even when you've heard the same inane comment a zillion times. Humor them. Laugh politely, then yawn while trying not to roll your eyes. The smarter folks will get the message-- and who cares about the others? Related External Link----- Babies Online FREE Birth Announcements - Create a web site for your new baby, complete with pictures, instantly and for free! Tons of other great (and free!) stuff for new and expectant parents too, so check it out!! |
Close Encounters of the Rude Kind
What Would Miss Manners Say?
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