Going out in public
When we go out in public, we get a lot of attention to say the least. We have a double stroller so I figured we would get some attention but when people see you have a toddler and a set of baby twins in a double stroller, they always have to say something or give you some sort of look.
Don’t get me wrong, when you go out with a newborn you will always get attention. You will have people want to look at the baby. People will get way to close – to the point where you must move the stroller/baby carrier away from them. They might touch their feet and say how cute they are. They might even ask to hold them, to which I always responded with no, LOL. If it was a family member, then that’s fine but complete strangers will do this. So, I guess this is your reminder to give new babies their space. They have little to no immune system so just smile and walk on.
Now when you go out with newborn twins and a toddler you will get those reactions plus some. I remember when we went to the park for the first time after the twins were born and it felt like EVERYONE was looking at me. My husband had my toddler, and they were running around playing and I was just walking behind them pushing the double stroller and all the parents and even the kids that would run by would look at the babies. This made me a little anxious at first but now that we are 8 months into this it does not bug me at all. People are going to stare and that’s okay.
Another story of going out in public with all three was when I decided to take all the kids to my brother’s football game. My brother is 13 years younger than me, so it was his middle school football game. Usually, I would not even consider doing this without my husband, but I knew I was going to have family there to help watch my toddler and I knew there was an open area to let him run if needed.
I decided to put Kinzley and my toddler in the double stroller, and I put Koehn in the baby carrier. So, to paint this picture clearer for you I was pushing a side-by-side doubler stroller with two diaper bags hooked to it as I was carrying a baby on my chest in a baby carrier.
The stares started as I was walking through the parking lot. I got through the check in gate and then as I was trying to get to my family so many people would stop and say, “wow you have been busy”, “looks like you have had fun”. Now, I don’t know what they were getting at with these comments, but it was men at least 45+ years old and older saying this to me.
I just smiled and kept walking because I knew as soon as I found my family, I could take a breath and relax knowing I was surrounded by people who wouldn’t judge me. But when I look back to these comments it makes me think maybe I should have said something like “oh actually, I’m just their babysitter – these aren’t my kids”. Like these men shouldn’t be assuming anything about my life.
It’s just little comments here and there but when you hear the same comments repeatedly it gets crazy old. Also, if I was in a bad place mentally or if I was a single mom these comments could just put someone over the edge. There’s ways to talk to busy moms without saying comments like this. Maybe ask them if you can help them with anything for starters. Now luckily my husband did come to the game shortly after it started to help keep everyone in line but that first 15-20 minutes was crazy LOL.
I am getting used to going out in public with all my kids now but as a new mom/parents transitioning from one kid to three kids, it is a challenge to “learn” how to go out in public again.
