I get it. I do. Thereโs just something about babies that brings out the Barbara Walters in a lot people. These sweet, new, tiny human beings make folks feel like they can ask the mothers basically anything and, moreover, they expect us to be naturally ready with answers to all their queries โ from the innocent to the downright intrusive.
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The first few times we โ if I may employ the Royal "We" here โ are pretty OK with answering a couple of these questions. Weโre even OK with responding to the same one a few times over. But there comes a moment where the line in the sand gets drawn and weโre done.
Maybe itโs the confluence of sleep deprivation and the ice-cold realization that our old life is at the bar laughing about us, and it all comes to a head. Youโve been asked that question too many times and itโs only causing the stress in the pit of your stomach to mount up at the back of your throat, leaving a bitter taste in your mouth. And if you had your druthers, you would look at the next person who rolls up on you toting those dingy queries with steely eyes and say: โEff off! No, not yet!โ Itโs what I like to call FONNYโข (pronounced: phony).
Do you really want to know if Little Pumpkin is hitting the potty in time? Yeah. Didnโt think so.
Now, because weโre friends, and I want your friends and relations to be aware of the thin ice on which they are walking, here are nine of their questions that need to be voted off the island. Print it out and mail it over to them, with a real stamp and everything, because this is legit business.
- Is she sleeping through the night yet?
- Is he getting along with baby yet?
- Did you wean her off breastfeeding yet?
- Is she walking/talking/crawling yet?
- Is he potty-trained yet?
- Did you find a babysitter yet?
- Did you go back to work yet?
- Are you guys having sex yet?
- Are you trying for the boy/girl yet?
Thereโs nothing mean-spirited or rude about any of these questions. (Except that sex one. That is definitely pushing into nosy, โI beg your pardon?โ territory.) In fact, Iโm sure the inquiries are often conversation-starters and a sweet story could be tucked in somewhere behind the curiosity.
And thatโs fine and good, but you know what else it folded in there as well? Annoyance. We are already tired, because motherhood. So having to face down the sleeping through the night thing for the eleven-teenth time is not high on anyoneโs list of More of This, Please.
Great. Itโs settled, then. Unless youโre a pediatrician or another mother in trenches, skip these questions. From here on, the blanket answer is FONNY. And itโs always going to be FONNY.
Instead, ask us how we feel about kale smoothies (approve) or Mindy and Danny as TVโs best couple (yes). Get our take on Benedict Cumberbatch (still donโt get it) or whether adults should be into YA novels (reading is reading is reading).
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Any of these topics will net you a more warm and pleasant tรชte-ร -tรชte with moms than those other Qs. Trust. Besides, do you really want to know if Little Pumpkin is hitting the potty in time? Yeah. Didnโt think so.
