Random thought

I am always surprised at how people perceive me. I realize everyone makes an impact/impression on the world in some shape, form or fashion, but I guess I minimize my own. With some regularity, I get asked, "How many children do you have?" Not, "Do you have kids?", though that does pop up every once in a while, and not "Are you married?", although in today's society...marriage seems to mean nothing anyway- especially with regards to having children or not. I hope this isn't a comment on the stereotype of young women (especially minority women) in America today. That's pretty depressing to think that when people see a minority female who's in her mid 20s, they automatically assume she has multiple children...likely by multiple baby-daddies and all on welfare. I seriously doubt most people ask that particular question for that reason.

I really hope the question doesn't pop up because of my physical appearance. Please don't tell me I LOOK like I've had a ton of babies! That's actually more depressing than the previous reason. Though I will admit, I've been known to eat enough for two. :-)

Occasionally I do actually ask why people think I have children, and they'll comment on some competency I've exhibited (also makes me wonder just exactly how incompetent are my fellow 20somethings?). Sunday afternoon, I was making strawberry milk for the kids at the shelter among 10 million other things that were occurring simultaneously, and one of the women that was helping me in the kitchen asked me about my kids. When I told her I wasn't married, had no babies, and no prospects (much to my annoyance), her mouth popped open and she said, "Really?!" as if, surely, I was lying. I then asked, "Why did you think I had kids?" She said, "Well I figured that was the case since you're so good at doing a million things at once." I've heard that answer before, though I don't totally agree with it. Women just seem to be naturally better at multi-tasking, babies or none. I don't know that I'm any better at it than anyone else. Other answers I've gotten are, "With your personality, it just seems like you'd have a few kids," (Not sure I totally get that...having a certain personality = having babies?), or "The way you are with kids made me think you were a mom, yourself."

I think the most popular reason people assume I have children is because I spend so much time with kids. It seems to be a foreign concept to have a single person that WANTS to spend at least a little bit of time with children on a daily basis. How could you not want to hang out with a passel of babies?! Kids are the coolest people on the planet, and they're small enough to fit inside stuff. Drop some change between your seat and the middle console in your car? Grab a kid, and have their tiny little hands fish it out for you! Can't reach something on that top shelf? Hoist a kid up on your shoulders, and BAM! those cookies you had hidden in the back of the pantry are now yours to devour secretly (though you'll have to give the child one to keep them quiet).

Anywho, those were just some of my thoughts as I was running errands today. :-) Happy Monday!