An open letter.
To the table of people looking at me like I don't know how to "control" my child, to the older woman shaking her head at me, and the lady saying loud enough for me to hear "maybe she should go outside", this is for you.
I'm not sorry my baby is crying, this is how my 3-month-old daughter communicates with me. The world is still a big scary place for her and she doesn't always like it. I get it I look young, so I must be doing something wrong right? You're wrong. I don't need your judging eyes looking at me like I don't know how to care for my child.
Have you forgot that this is an infant, crying is what they do! I'm not sorry I interrupted your dinner, your selfies, or your food pictures.
I can feel you staring at me, it makes me feel embarrassed like you've never seen a baby cry before. Like I somehow just became the biggest inconvenience of your life. How dare I let her cry. My crying baby also isn't an open invitation for you to comment on how I'm handeling her crying. I am her mother, you are a stranger, do not come up to me and say anything offensive because I will yell at you until you go away (Probably not but it would be fun).
Crying is how she communicates with me.
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| My princess Camila |
On behalf of my aunt with a toddler:
After a long day at work, her 2-year-old began to throw a tantrum because her older brother was laughing at her in the checkout line, and a woman had the nerve to come up to her a tell her "Your baby is annoying." Who in their right mind would tell a mom that?
2-year-olds throw tantrums because they don't know how to use their words to express their emotions!
We're not sorry that you think she's annoying. No one asked you.
On behalf of my mom with a 5 months old:
My little brother just discovered that he can scream, and usually, we laugh at him because we think he's just so darn cute, but he did it for the first time in public and people from the other table just started staring. Not the usually oh he's so cute stares, but the can you shut your baby up stares. Obviously, you're a perfect human being who just can't handle a baby trying to talk to his sisters. My brother loves to scream, and that's how he shows us he's excited.
We're not sorry.
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| Noah |
To the moms with a crying baby:
Don't worry, let them stare, take a deep breath, you are doing a great job. Having people look at your baby and you while they're crying can make you feel embarrassed, frustrated, and frazzled, try not to let it get to you. Baby's are going to cry, it's what they do. I don't know when society became so intolerant towards kids, but it's not your fault. Sometimes I feel like just letting her cry to piss people off more. You could just tell them what my grandma tells them, go to hell! Again remember you are doing a good job. They are no one to judge you or your child. They should be ashamed of themselves. Always remember that you're not alone.
I took to one of my favorite mamma groups on Facebook to see what they do when their babies start to cry in public this is the response I got:
Honestly, I find it sad that so many mothers feel the same way. We shouldn't be forced to stay at home for fear that our kid are going to act up, they're kids! Just let them be!
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| Camila & Noah |
