Wednesday, April 6, 2011

Fostering Funnies

I could seriously make this a regular feature -- we have so many crazy comments made to us because we are (a) fostering or (b) carrying around a child of a different race.

Most of the funnies happen in Publix because, apparently, if my life were a sitcom, Publix would be the main setting.

Here's a story from a few weeks ago:

All six of us were in Publix. This is worth noting only because it's a rare occurance that Eric is there. He took the three "big" girls to get their free cookie and I took off with our buggy (cart for you Northerners) laden with Sweet Cheeks at a breakneck speed trying to get all of my groceries before the rest could catch up with me.

As I start down the cereal aisle, I am stopped by a woman who is enthralled with Sweet Cheeks. She talks baby talk for a second, then looks at me and asks the situation (I can't remember exactly how she phrased that question). I explained that our family was a foster family. Here's the conversation from there (please note that everything in parenthesis that follows was only said in my brain and did not come out of my mouth):

Her: Oh, you should breastfeed her!

Me: (What did she just say?) Uh, huh.

Her: I do toenails at the Jockey Lot (again, Northerners, that's a Flea Market).

Me: Uh, huh! (GROSS, GROSS, GROSS!! #1: Who get's there toenails done at the Jockey Lot?? #2: The woman who DOES the toenails of people who get their's done at the Jockey Lot just touched my baby!)

Her: I was doing this lady's nails the other day, and she was telling me how she took this pill to start breastfeeding! I really think you should breastfeed her.

Me: Well, she's 8 months old. (No, way! I've seen what she does to a bottle nipple!)

Her: Well, I just think you should consider . . .

Me: (Are we really close enough to have this conversation?) Okay, thanks, bye-bye! (pushing the cart away quickly!)

Her: (Yelling down the cereal aisle) Here's a website: www.havenoideawhatshesaidafterthat.com

Me: Thanks! Bye!


Think I can't top that conversation?

Stop back by tomorrow!!

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Mary Beth, you just made me laugh out loud. The nerve! And how very, very odd to tell a FOSTER mother (implying a short-term situation) to breast-feed... I guess that's obvious, but I think you were much more gracious that I might've been!

carolinagirl said...

THAT is sooo funny! I would love for you to make foster happenings a regular post.

Beth Monty said...

You should be ashamed you slacker!!! Nurse that poor, sickly, malnourished child before she wastes away!!!