When someone says this:

[elizabethsmom]

haha -- probably not doing anything wrong...you just make everything look so easy?? :-)

People say it to us also, but I get more of the "wow, you must have it soooo easy! With all the teens at home to help!" :-) And I must admit, my teens are a HUGE help, but, as anyone with older teens know...how often are they really home? haha. Oh well.

I used to get it more frequently actually when my twins were babies and toddlers, when I had 3 under 3! They would say things like, "glad it's you and not me" or "better you than me" to which my husband would always reply "we think so too, thanks!" and walk away. :-)

I'd try to take it as a compliment. I mean geez! Look at Bob! He's a little insulted he DOESN'T hear it! LOL.

Sheryl

[Jodi]

Renee,

I think when someone says something like this, they haven't processed the whole situation. Maybe at the moment it is said they are caught up in the initial shock, like many of us were at first. Since they haven't lived with the daily issues, they don't realize it's not that bad.

I have someone say to me every time the issue of parenting a child with special needs come up, "you are my hero [insert a TON of pity]". You can say all you want to some people and try to help them understand, but they just won't get it until they have lived it.

Someone's signature line says "It is what it is" - I love that because that is how I feel - it just "is". I think we all have ups and downs and struggle in life, regardless of disabilities. Shoot, my uncle pitied my situation, and then I had pity for him when he lost his leg. When I think someone is having a hard time I feel bad for them. I care about them. When I look at it that way, I am less offended and bugged about my own situation.

Jodi

[mollysmomma]

people used to say that all the time regarding how i raised the other three...all by myself, and STILL managed to work full time and never miss a game.

they don't ask it of molly...cuz after the history they know...they know she
must be a BREEEEEEEEZE!!

:-)

[Jessie]

I compare it to when I tell someone that works in the medical field that I don't know how they could ever do that. Same type of thing. Some things just don't seem comprehendable. Sorry, but I couldn't deal with other people's bodily fluids, therefore, no medical job for me! LOL

As far as the older woman who said that, you have to remember that back in the day, it was more common than not to institutionalize people with DS. Older people grew up with an entirely different set of expectations for people with disabilities. She may have really meant no harm in saying what she did.


Jessie

[CC]

YUP we have gotten that more then a few times. My one pal from back in High School said of all the people we all know you and Colin are the ones that were the best to have a child with a disability, Hmmmm whatever the heck that meant LOL

For me what I think is one day my boss and I were sitting in his office just yapping away. He had cancer and going thru treatments and still working and I said to him "I just don't know how you do it" and he said to me Christie its the same as he didn't know how I handled all that came along with having a child with DS and we both just smiled at each other and said "One just deals with what they were given"

So I don't see it being meant as a bad thing, just something coming from one that has not walked the walk so called they may think OMG I could never... BUT if they had to they would KWIM

CC ~

[chasesmom]

Even to this day I still get it...especially when Chase is acting up and we find ourselves around my coworkers.... (never fails) they always tend to say "I just don't know how you do it Robin" and those of you who know my sense of humor will appreciate that I wink at them with a little smile and say " I drink a lot" Gotta keep them wondering you know...LOLOL!!! It's far better then to let myself get upset by dumb comments from people who just don't think before they speak. I hate that and hearing "better you than me"...I have a comment for that one too...LOLOL, it used to be I responded with anger, now I find witty humor so much better, makes everyone laugh.
hugs, Robin

[momofrussell]

Witty humor with a smile goes a lot farther the anger too LOL

A.

[victoriasdad]

lol victoria is a handful, so i can take all the emathy i can get, maybe its different since im a dad, dads are expected to be fumblefools (cleaned that one up) when it comes to kids
but like lesprings i have five of which victoria is the baby, when ever they see my crew unload out of the car they always tell me i have my hands full lololol

[Pat]

I don't take it as bad. Sometimes they meant it because I had 3 in less than 3 years!
The way their children were behaving, I don't doubt that they would have handled it well as they couldn't control the child they had. Mine all know how to say, "Yes, sir. No, maam" except John-John who only says, "Yes, sir. No sir." I don't mind being called sir. LOL And in case you didn't know John-John is a handful (others here can attest to that.)
Pat

[elizabethsmom]

victoriasdad...FUMBLEFOOLS!...hahaha ... and you can actually put all of the letters in that phrase..no *** :-D just fooling.

[dibrom]

I hear it all the time and I usually say " God only gives you what you can handle, and some days I think he has too much faith in me"
It usually stops the comments on how life must be so hard, blah, blah, blah........