10 Things NOT to Say to a Woman Without Kids
By Charlotte Hilton Andersen, REDBOOK
Mother's Day is Sunday, and while many of us will be enjoying handmade cards and breakfast in bed (or not enjoying it-every year the mess left in the kitchen kind of eclipses the breakfast part), this is a holiday that is hard for a lot of women. The other day, a friend who has never had kids emailed me to tell me how another woman had told her that she "couldn't possibly understand real love." It made my friend cry, and it made me mad. Then, I started to wonder other unintentionally hurtful things people say to folks without kids. I don't think that anyone makes these comments to be cruel, but just like we moms don't like it when people belittle our choice to have kids, we should be equally as careful with what we say to women without kids. Here are the top 10 things not to say to a woman who hasn't had children:
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1. "I don't know what you do all day!" - Bekky
2. "At least you can travel (or party or stay out late or drink)" - Becky
3. "Aren't you afraid of dying alone?" - Pam
4. "You couldn't possibly know what it's like to have to get up at 7 am every day." Newsflash: I have a job! - Melissa
5. "It must be nice not to have any responsibility." - Quish
6. "Is it because you don't want to ruin your figure?" - Alyssa
7. "Is your career that important to you?!" - Alyssa
8. "You'll have no-one to look after you in your old age." - Terry
9. "You're so selfish." This one gets me because there are so many selfish reasons that people have kids! - Jenna
10. "Those of you without families can afford to put in more time at work"... as if we have nothing else meaningful to do with our time, just because we don' t happen to have children at home?" - Janette
What would you add to the list?
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