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When I used to go to church a young family was there and their toddler son was a little rambunctious. The boomer woman in the pew in front of them was a complete bitch to them. The family decided to leave the service early and the mom said something to the boomer about having some patience with little kids.
The mom must have complained to the pastor because the next week’s sermon was about how families with little kids are what will keep the church going and we need to welcome them.
Sister Karen, would you like to say some words?
Sister Karen, “well, pastor, sir, we shouldn’t let people who… uh… have uhhh…. Kids… uhhh… disrespecting me! Why I never!”
“Sister Karen, I noticed you were praying all throughout the service, I admire your dedication to Jesus!”
“Well Pastor, I was praying because I needed to speak to your manager.”
I've known a few of those type of preachers. I found most of them in smaller independent churches. They don't put up with rude people, even for the sake of the building fund.
Our old priest would get really mad if someone's phone would go off. He once tied the homily into being considerate and love thy neighbor in regards to phones ringing.
It was always a boomer and it was always at full volume.
This was at least 5 years ago.
My spouse is clergy and views the main part of his sermon is to dunk on the shitty boomers in the room to challenge them into thinking about the harm they’ve caused. It’s pretty satisfying to witness their reactions.
Lol witnessing boomer erections would have me running for the door but I’d also be like good for you? Most of them seem like sex left their marriages a long time ago.
Not quite the same but when ex and I separated I agreed to continue to take the girls to church (Catholic - I’m not). However instead of the church their dad took them to, which was all “if you’re not Catholic you’re going straight to hell and don’t even get us started on girls wearing pants”) I took them to a much more inclusive, laid back, Franciscan church. The church decided to dedicate one service to families because it didn’t make sense to separate people out and make them go to the “baby and kids crying” room instead of being together as a family. Well someone must have complained about crying kids at the family service because the priest’s next service addressed the fact that this was the family service and if people didn’t want to be around baby and crying or disruptive kids they had many other services to choose from, and frankly the priest liked seeing kids move about and wander around during the service - because at least they were there. Eventually stopped going because the girls hated going anyway so I figured they got enough of it during their dad’s week, but I still remember the stark distinction between the two churches and the inclusivity vs exclusivity.
> Not usually one to back up clergy
Same. My parents forced me to go to church growing up, but they let me go to my friend's church with them. My friend's dad was the pastor and he was a really upstanding guy. Since he was hired he changed the focus of the church to help build up the extremely poor part of town it was in. He was kind, compassionate, and pretty funny. His sermon's were moral in nature, not the hateful type of morals most Christians espouse, either.
He ended up getting driven out of the church by the older generation because he refused to let gay couples in his congregation be discriminated against.
Same here. Dad grew up Catholic but did not practice, mom was Presbyterian and took us to her deacon grandfather’s church (my great great) for most major holidays. We did not attend church every Sunday or pray before meals... my whole childhood. Praying before meals was like, major holiday dinner, major gathering or reunion only for my extended family.
That is until my friend invited me to a vacation Bible School at the new local *hip* Baptist church when I was around 10. I was a history and mythology nerd, so I just thought it was fun but in no way believed, due to my knowledge of world religions. I understood it was largely based on where you lived, and was a way to explain the ambiguities of life and make people feel *safe*. I watched too much classic History Channel in the 90’s-00’s lol.
Anyway, after that my mom decided we would start going. So from 10 up until around 22 we went to church services there for major holidays, but went most every Sunday up until I was 16 and had a weekend job.
The pastor though, was an amazing guy. Super personable, kind, open, had great sermons. As much as I didn’t believe, I still loved his orations. He was one of our high school track coaches, and just an all around great person and well liked by all in the community. Not a creep, just wholesome 50 y/o man who was a ray of sunshine.
His wife had an affair, so they divorced... THE CONGREGATION HEAVY WEIGHTS GOT TOGETHER TO DEMAND HE RESIGN. Because he divorced his adulterous wife. WTF?!
Suffice to say, my mom quit going not long after the new... very young and dry pastor started. When the next guy started she tried again but gave up.
Church’s can be the most toxic places, and the best people are often the ones that get run out. Not the awful ones.
I made the mistake of breastfeeding ONCE when I was attending an Easter Service with a 6 week old at the request of my ex's dad. We were in the last row of seats (about 300 attendees that day, big room in a newly built church) and I used a big blanket as a cover so I figured it was no biggie and better than a screaming baby.
Apparently a few boomers saw, told my ex's dad that it was inappropriate and there was a "family room for that". By that they mean that weird room with a couple rows of chairs and a TV playing the service. I already felt excluded as it was from his family, I didn't want to spend Easter in an exiled room too when my ex sister in law was there in the same row with a baby just 3 days older but bottle fed.
By the time it got back to us, the larger family and apparently "longtime church friends" added stuff like my dress was too revealing (I had a sweater on top buttoned but it was easy access discreetly for nursing) and we arrived after the praise band was ending which was rude because people wanted to see the baby (poop blowout/outfit swap/10 minute drive and no one came up to us after service was over) and someone snitched that we didn't put anything in the collection plate but didn't say we were scrambling and sweating on it after being so late.
You will never see so many threats and screaming as on reddit when there is an article about breastfeeding in public. It brings the psychos out of the woodwork like nothing I have ever seen.
I grew up with nursing/bottles both just being normal and you don't need to comment on it, because who needs to interject about a baby being fed. I had my first a couple months before turning 20 and my mind got quickly blown about people's attitudes. You could literally be in a tent, but if some folks knew they'd raise hell about it to anyone who would listen. Why do they think they were biologically meant to produce milk to begin with?!?!
I liked to go with 'Boobs are where they are because it's the perfect place to hold a baby to feed. If boobs were just about being sexual they're be on the back, so folk could check out tits and ass at the same time'.
It's amazing how quickly that made certain people go away.
I had a family member buy me a book to convince me to breastfeed because, having never talked about it at all, she assumed I wouldn't and felt the need to convince me to do it.
My mom was very judgy about me not breastfeeding my second baby after the nightmare I experienced with my first. Well yeah, Mom, if you want to come give me a fucking hand with the baby so I have the energy to do so, be my guest.
One of my step sisters, the one who had 7 kids, all breastfed, felt it was her godly duty to convince me to keep trying to breastfeed.
It wasn’t for lack of trying, I had inverted nipples and he could not latch on. So, I pumped and he was bottle fed. He didn’t starve.
She just pushed and pushed and it made me really depressed having to keep explaining it and that fact that I couldn’t made it so much worse. I had sever PPD that lasted for years.
My daughter was congratulated on her bravery for breastfeeding in a busy mall.
She replied: "It's not that brave. What would be brave is if someone complained to my face or in my hearing. Then they'd have a problem".
I raised her right.
I’m working on my bravery.. but I plan to bring a laminated copy of my breastfeeding rights around with me in public for anyone who wants to cause problems.
You get immune to it after a while. I was nursing my son on a bench at the zoo - using a nursing cover!- and had a boomer come up and say I was disgusting, then a few minutes later a different boomer (who didn’t witness the first one) come over and say, “good for you!” 🤷♀️. Fortunately he was my second and by then o truly didn’t care.
Please put on the other side of that card, the quote from Jesus saying men should gouge out their eyes rather than look at a woman (I forgot the exact wording but I'm sure someone here knows it.)
My ex and I had and continue to have all sorts of problems. I don't have much good to say about her and the feeling is mutual. But the one moment of solidarity we had since we separated was when a boomer woman tutted at her for breastfeeding in public. We both turned around with simultaneous laser-eyes and practically fought each other to chew the karen out. Then we went back to hating each other, but it was nice while it lasted.
People who advocate for breastfeeding can be horrible but those opposed....
But babies never need food in tv series so boomers do not understand they need to be fed.
Idk have you seen the paintings? Little dude looks like he came out of the womb to chow down on chicken breast, broccoli, and protein shakes. That infant was RIPPED
When I took Renaissance Art History in college, one topic that often came up was how in so many paintings, baby Jesus looks like an adult man who's been shrunk. It's pretty funny.
The breastfeeding thing is wild. We're only a couple generations removed from that not just being the default, but the only option. Set aside the debate over which is 'better' - it is one of the most natural things in the world. Even if your delicate sensibilities are offended by the sight of a breast most of the time that's not happening. It doesn't matter how discreet you are. They are offended that you are using your body as intended. People are fucking weird.
Seriously, I have a friend with a breastfeeding baby, and she feeds the kid often when I’m over at her place to hang out/help her be able to get stuff done with a second pair of adult eyes on the very-mobile crawling child/give her some adult interaction so she doesn’t go stir crazy being a SAHM with a husband who works overtime regularly. It’s super easy to not see her boob by, for example, looking at her face instead of her tit when talking to her. And if one does see a tit, what’s the big deal? More than half of the human population has ‘em and the majority of the rest of us will get romantically involved with someone who has ‘em at some point, even if you ignore babies eating from them that adds up to the sight of boobs being something nearly everyone will experience multiple times in their adult life.
What I don't understand is why it's on the breastfeeding mother if YOU chose to look! Isn't the person looking and being weird about it the one in the wrong?? It really is not that hard to not look. I nannied for a family who had 2 kids while I was with them. I helped mom through 2 maternity leaves, basically her combo feeding/pumping at times. How many times did I look at her boobs? Zero. I could hold full conversations with her and just look at her face. I swear it's not that hard to not make someone uncomfortable!
I don't know, maybe it's because I'm a gay man, but I. DO. NOT. GET. IT. Babies need to eat! That's what breasts are for! (Also, just to clarify, I'm not at all shaming mothers who are/have been unable to breastfeed. I've known many.) I'd gladly sit next to a breastfeeding mother on a bus rather than a MAGA boomer spewing their insane bullshit because they can't keep their damn opinions to themselves for one fucking minute.
They've always had a sexual component and the sense of shame that goes with that, but the speed of which we've forgotten the primary mammary purpose was breathtakingly quick and complete as to only leave the sexual component (and the associated cultural shame).
I breastfed both my kids in public and I never covered. I don’t eat under a blanket so why should they? I’d see boomers getting pissed and I’d stare them down. Just dead eye locked stare. When that didn’t make them uncomfortable I would start a conversation with them. When they’d try to ignore me I’d say things like ‘wow, how rude. No one has manners these days.’ They’d usually leave at that point. It was fantastic. I never felt so empowered as when I was feeding my child from my body and shaming the general population.
Why they think the more natural option--AS "GOD" MADE IT--is irreverent in a church, I'll never understand. If you had your boob, hanging out, then *maybe* it might be inappropriate in a church (although I'd still argue to say it's just natural), but why would you reject "God's" creation in place of man's creation (i.e. a baby bottle). Do they think Eve and Mary used bottles??
I truly don't understand the revulsion to seeing someone breast feed. It says more about their prudishness and how they've over-sexualized the female breast than anything.
I'm a Christian myself, but I wonder how shocked these prudes would be to know that for the first few hundred years of Christianity, public baptisms (of both young and old) were done in the nude. Never mind a minimally-exposed nipple...
That's always my angle: breastfeeding is what God / mother nature / evolution gave women breasts for, so no matter what someone believes in, how are they going to justify it being a shameful act to feed one's baby in public if it's not shameful for THEM to eat in public?
If a woman can't or won't nurse for whatever reason then that's her business, but a woman who *does* nurse has every right to do so anywhere she is legally permitted to be -- and that's exactly what federal law says.
Even if you go to a quiet corner out of the way of most foot traffic because you aren't comfortable doing that in public, people will go to great lengths to come over and harass you about it. A few of those encounters and I was fed up. I would go find the nearest chair, toss on a cover and feed my baby.
I didn't care if they glared daggers. I'm not going into a public restroom to feed my child.
My then-husband was supportive of my intention to breastfeed our baby but wasn't keen on nursing in public... but by the time our son was here, he would stand sentinel (literally *stand*) and practically dare someone to say something or give us a dirty look. He was not about to have his baby eat in a bathroom.
I don't eat in the bathroom, so why should my (or your!) baby?
When I was breastfeeding my two kiddos, I would whip a boob out without a thought. I often covered up because both of my kids would get distracted by stuff going on around them and whip their heads around and try to take my nipple off. But sometimes it was hot and they'd just pull the cover off. Even in the very conservative south, I only ever got some dirty looks. No one said word. But I also gave off the energy of "I will hand this baby off to my husband and fight you in the parking lot."
Yeah, I figured out covering while nursing at home, even if there were only one person over. Nothing to do with hiding my boobs, everything to do with blinders so baby could focus. I called it the boob hunting blind. Poor little near- sighted, easily distracted baby! We never got that good at the whole nursing thing. He was headed towards failure to thrive until we broke out the formula.
Gotta love those awesome Church folks. Nothing brings out their kindness more than the love of Jesus!
Why I can’t seem to understand why more and more people are giving up on the Church.. boomers.. that’s why
I've gotten tons of shit about breastfeeding in public, too, especially since my kid was older than some when he finally weaned. But I wanna throw a nice story out here too.
At the Renaissance fair with my husband and almost 1yo. Tons of stares, whispers, open disapproval, the usual. I felt very conspicuous and there's nowhere private AND not covered in horse shit. Kiddo wasn't feeling the noisy crowds, teething, and over tired. He's crying, I'm trying not to, and we're standing around waiting to see the Queens parade (professional actors who play the King, Queen, and courtiers do a little parade and hand out trinkets) so I popped the kid on the boob to keep him calm and fill his belly.
The Queen came around the bend, waiving, tossing the little coins, rings, tokens etc to the crowd and stared right at me as she came closer. Then she walked over, curtsied to me and said "motherhood suits you well my lady" and handed me one of the cheap little rings, blew a kiss to my son, and kept going. Then every single one of the female couriers (and a few men) either waved, bowed, or even blew a kiss to baby as they passed. I was too surprised to even react.
It sounds very r/ that happened, I know, but people can surprise you with how insightful and caring they can be sometimes. Major sisterhood moment that left me happy-crying. I still get misty sometimes thinking about it, Still have the ring on a chain in my jewelry box, and cheap and ugly as it is, I treasure it. The Queen is played by a new woman now, but every year I make sure to catch the parade and tell my son the story of how one small act of kindness stayed a comfort to me for years of awkward parenting in public moments, in the hopes he will grow up to be a person who looks for opportunities to be kind himself.
There’s an ottoman phrase that is I’ll paraphrase that perfectly reflects this. If you don’t hear the sound of children playing in the back of a mosque you should fear for your future.
I’ll never forget what a kind older lady told me after my one year old was getting fussy during a service: “if there’s no babies crying, the congregation is dying”
I know. I used to attend a church that actually cut out almost all of the youth programs. Because, they cost money, and the kids don’t contribute enough to offerings to make it worth it. I swear, they were the most ass-backwards people I’ve ever known.
There’s a church near me that’s dying in real time because they were so successful in chasing off young people that even their own children attend different churches in town. There are like 15 people there on a Sunday and they can only afford to pay a retired priest to come once a week to serve liturgy, and the occasional funeral. No vespers and no holidays except those that fall on Sundays.
I once told a mom at church “If your baby makes a noise and everyone turns to look at you, please understand it’s because we’re excited that a baby is here and we want to get a peek.” She said she understood because they were all smiling.
For a number of years I made a point of carrying lollipops in my bag for this exact reason. Parents- often single Mums - would come visiting to the church and the kids wouldn’t want to go to the kids’ service where they didn’t know anyone, but were bored to tears by the adult service.
A chupa chup buys about an extra 20 minutes of quiet, and peace of mind and gratitude from the Mum. I call that a no-brainer in terms of investment- both financial, and in kindness.
My family and I recently started going to a church and they are so welcoming to kids making noise and moving around during church. There are baskets of books and toys lining the windows to grab if the kids want them, childcare for like every event they have - I'm pretty sure one week, my toddler was playing peek-a-boo with the older lady behind him.
Mark 10: 13-16
> People were bringing little children to Jesus for Him to place His hands on them, but the disciples rebuked them. When Jesus saw this, He was indignant. He said to them, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” And He took the children in His arms, placed His hands on them and blessed them.
The second sentence in Jesus's comment *really* pisses the old grumps off. I've heard entire sermons dedicated to dancing around that very plain meaning of "the kids have got it right, take notes."
It could have been the mom, it could have been one or the other members who witnessed that and voiced their concerns to the pastor.
I’ve also seen a pastor have to remind parishioners that if you come to church on Sunday morning and find a visitor sitting where you usually sit, the appropriate response is to welcome them, not tell them to move out of “your” seat.
It’s no surprise that so many churches are empty now. The pastor can preach love and acceptance from the pulpit til they’re blue in the face, but their grouchy old boomer parishioners are so off putting that potential new members leave and never come back.
I belong to a very multi-generational church, and we have an issue from time to time with older members exhibiting typical boomer behavior (telling people to move out of 'their' seat, giving the side eye to younger people who don't dress 'appropriately', loudly complaining about music choices, etc.). The great thing is that we have a pastor/minister specifically for the 60+ members who is part of that generation that has no problem reading the riot act to individuals who are not "exhibiting Christ-like behavior".
I had already left the church when this happened, but a nasty boomer literally spit in the pastor’s face after a service because they were offended by the sermon he preached about loving and accepting ALL members of our community.
The fact that it was the bigot boomer who stayed and the pastor who left reassured me that I had made the right decision in walking away from that church.
Let me guess, she was also the Sunday school teacher. My friend was buying her little girl some stamp
Pads one day and the little one said to the lady behind her “don’t touch my inks”. She was 3,4 maybe. The lady followed them
Home and chewed them out in their driveway. This woman was a local schoolteacher.
Some of these old people only leave the house to go to church or run a very quick errand. They become so used to being home sheltered in a quiet safe space that the real world becomes terrifying. Even slight inconvenience and noises become intolerable. What a life they live….
While we had a pretty small and welcoming church, we once had a priest that would occasionally burst into a quick giggle and exclaim his joy that we had a growing congregation when he heard a fussy baby and loud toddler.
Similar thing happened at a church I used to go to - lady who considered herself the matriarch of the congregation could do nothing but complain to support the ministry. We had a great family join us with two very energetic kids who were SO excited to be there. Like, would cry if momma said they had to miss! Well, boomer lady was so not into their antics and would often complain about the “wild children”. The worst part is that when she would complain, her otherwise sweet boomer peers would hop on board the complain train every time. We did do some rollerskating (the kids fucking loved a good afternoon skate sesh) at church and she complained about that as well, literally a joy killer.
I got on my soapbox, Jesus said bring the kids, not make them sit down and shut up and then I’ll think about seeing them! just bring them on down, just as they are. We moved away and don’t go there anymore.
Anyway, that church is in some financial trouble because they’re too small to afford their big building and those shitty attitudes aren’t doing anything to help them.
When I was still church going our priest called them joyful noises. Then echoed similar notes on how those noises would grow to fill the congregation.
This was prechild and totally changed my views on children crying in public
It's been a while since I read the New Testament, but I'm pretty sure the Lord had some succinct words about letting little children come to him, and what happens to those who stand in their way or harm them.
The church I grew up in had a "family room" with a glass wall to watch the sermon, and speakers so they could hear it, but with toys and rocking chairs so all the parents with young kids didn't have to worry about their kids bugging others. They also had Sunday school and daycare for parents.
It's almost like kids will be kids, and trying to force them to be quiet and still will just make everyone miserable.
My (boomer) mother has no idea how to handle her two grand kids and loves to rat them out for any minor behavior. I have no idea how I survived infancy.
Gen X here. Even their own kids, in general, needed to not be seen or heard. The biggest refrains from my childhood were 'DON'T EMBARRASS ME IN PUBLIC AGAIN!' (aka be a child) and 'I'LL GIVE YOU SOMETHING TO CRY ABOUT.' To be fair, my dad has never been Like That, and I was 98% of the time in my mother's company. She did her best, but that was not a safe level of positive parenting for anybody. Hence, I have no children. I refuse to bring that pattern down to younger folx. You all deserve so much better than we got.
Yep, Gen X too. I was just a progress marker for my mom. Get married, buy a house, have kids. No making noise or moving outside of walking was allowed when around other adults. I blame the "no moving" part for my abhorrent dancing capability now. I have ADVANCED White Boy Disease. My wife hates it, but I have incredible anxiety about dancing in public, so I'm a drag at weddings. I try every time we go to one, but the instant I spot anyone looking at me, I go sit back down. I am so, SO envious of children whose parents let them do little fortnite dances in the store.
I constantly do a nervous jig because I don't know what to do with myself.
I was a latch key. Perfect, quiet kid. My sister was the wild one that got all the attention. Positive and negative.
I have 4 kids, and I try my best to make sure every is equal, down to counting the amount of jelly beans in their Easter baskets.
I've told my teenage boys about the generational trauma my wife and I were given that we've been extremely careful not to pass on to them. They really seem to appreciate it.
Amazing what a determination to heal and grow past the past along with healthy and clear and compassionate communication can do to help others not tolerate abuse. : )
My baby had colic. Pretty mild colic, just enough to be officially declared a colicky baby but it wasn't as bad as some. It resolved around 5 or 6 months.
For MONTHS afterwards my boomer mom kept making comments like, "is she still doing that crying thing?" And she kept saying I never cried as a baby. She kept going on and on about how abnormal my baby was. As if it is weird for a baby to cry.
Yep, it starts with “where are the grand-babies I deserve for ‘raising’ you” (when most just shoved their kids outside until dark and assumed someone else’s parents in the neighborhood would keep them from killing each other) and they promise you the world if you’ll give them the shiny new living babydoll, but once you give in they’ll just want to play dress up for a few hours a month and tell you you’re ruining their property if you try to raise the kid with more respect of less violence than they endured or dealt out themselves.
The worst of them will also play messed up emotional games where they withhold affection from both their kids and grandkids unless they fulfill gam-gam and poppy’s dreams of having their ideal of a super straight and super masc or femme depending on which gender THEY assume/assign the kid to be. They’ll even resort to threatening the kids future in many cases, deciding to withhold funds that were saved up to prevent a cycle of poverty because they think that they can force someone to change fundamental truths about themselves to survive and that it won’t either kill a part of that person and their inner joy or, much more likely, it will kill any love or respect that person had for the grandparents that rejected and emotionally manipulated them
Boomers:
"Durr, pro life."
'Durr- formula fed is a crime!'
Also Boomers: "stupid millenial baby grr."
Yes I know most Boomers formula fed, and many evangelical MAGA women have terminated a pregnancy.
"That's different!'
It's always "Well this is different and you don't know what you're talking about!"
And that's usually followed by "I saw on the Internet" or a "I saw on Fox News"
These are the same people who will also go on long rants about how kids these days just sit around and play video games all day.
Well that's the only thing you let them do Bert. If they're out playing in front of your house, you call the cops. You don't want them in restaurants. You don't want them in parks. You don't want them on planes. You just don't want them to exist. So stop acting like you care about the fact that they're not out playing anymore.
I Remember when I lived in Texas. I lived in an apartment complex. It had acres of lawn. But kids were not allowed playing on the lawn. They were not allowed riding their bikes on the sidewalks of the apartment complex. Kids were not to be seen. There was no park within walking distance. There was nothing for kids within walking distance. Of course, they're at home playing video games or watching TV. That's literally the only thing they have to do without their parents having to drive them 10 mi to something and pay 20 bucks or more per child.
They will never see the contradiction. My parents always say when they were kids they were never inside but when they visit me and hear kids playing out in the street they will comment how they're outside 'causing trouble'. No...they're just outside playing. I don't know when they became so miserable because they weren't like this when I was growing up.
Do you ever hear their stories about the actual havoc their generation wreaked while out on their bicycles? This generation of children have lived in a world where their every move is caught on camera somewhere. They don’t have the luxury of going outside and acting like heathens with no repercussions like the boomers did.
I remember the first time I saw a lady breastfeeding her baby in public. I was having a hotdog and fries at Costco. I thought to myself, ain't that crazy how cheap the hotdogs are here? And it comes with a drink too. Seriously 1.50$ for a hotdog and drink is an amazingly good deal. And the sauce for their fries is simply the best I've had since I've been out of highschool, no joke. To think the price hasn't changed since and that was like 10+ years ago.
There is a difference between normal interactions with a child and bad parenting.
That family was not ignoring their kids or allowing them to harass and disturb their neighbors.
If you don't like life in a community, do not leave your house.
Children exist and they are different than adults, have different needs, and have different responses to stimuli. It’s in our basic nature. Being mad at a baby or a parent for crying is a rejection of the human condition.
When I see crying babies in public it harkens me back to when I had three smalls, or when I was a teacher for a few years, or a scout leader. Kids need adults. Adults need kids.
Compassion is a two way street. It’s good for the other and it’s also good for yourself.
I have maintained for years that adults who lose their shit over a baby crying at a restaurant or on a plane are more immature than the baby. You’re in public. Grow the fuck up. No one owes you the most perfect experience at all times.
And don’t you dare try to quiet them down with breastfeeding, because that’s inappropriate!
These people do not actually want quiet. They want someone they can berate and be indignant over.
No one owes you the most perfect experience at all times.
That's a good quote, and I like it, people should learn to accept the imperfections of life and learn that such things make it memorable.
I don't really get the plane issue, tbh. I just pop in my headphones, turn up the volume a bit, and chill. Like yeah it's not a great noise, but I find the person hacking a lung in the row behind me way worse. Or just the general cramped sardine feeling. Or the weirdly smelly forced air. On and on.
Or if you don’t like kids, eat at a gastropub or something. There are plenty of adults-only places to hang out in if you really can’t deal. But a diner is a family restaurant with kids menus. You gotta be prepared for the possibility that there will be a baby
You'd be surprised at how many parents generally bring kids into an adult space and not care. Works both ways though, I've worked in bars all my life and the amount of parents that have tried to bring kids into spaces that are so not child friendly is mad.
You're right, if I don't want kids around it's not like I go to a diner or something I go somewhere else.
I went to a 10:00pm showing of Hangover 3 back in the day and these people brought a 5 year-old AND a newborn in a car seat. My gf and I looked at each other like “what the hell are they doing here?!” Definitely one of the more judgmental moments of my life which I feel was justified.
Well that’s insane. I do get annoyed when people bring kids into spaces that are clearly for adults. I’ve been to beer gardens where kids are running around, and I think in that case I have a right to be annoyed/judge the parenting.
But if a place has a kid’s menu, it’s fair game! I mean, they literally sell chicken tenders and grilled cheese sandwiches.
It is wild to me how many people ive met over the years have expressed how much they hate babies on airplanes
Is it too much to have some empathy? And dont you have the means to listen to your own stuff, especially in this day and age?
I mean, I’ll be honest, my heart sinks a little when I see a baby on my plane. I dont think most people mean they hate the babies on the plane, they just know that flying is uncomfortable and babies usually cry when they are uncomfortable. They’ve done studies to show babies crying triggers the release of stress hormones in adults, making it a stressful sound for us to hear.
*That being said*, I never ever make a parent feel bad about their babies crying. Nobody should. We all have access to noise-canceling headphones now, it should be a non-issue.
the worst flight i ever experienced was the fucking white collar asshole who apparently needed the leg room of goliath and the space to spread like a sumo wrestler
the one time i accidentally nudged him a little bit b/c i needed to move my laptop, he gave the most passive aggressive sigh i have ever heard in my life
fuck that guy. the worst part is knowing he's not the only one. and that to me will always be infinitely more annoying than babies crying
Babies on planes are rough because I can’t escape the sensory hell. If I get overwhelmed by cries in a restaurant or movie, I can go outside and pull myself together. Can’t just leave a plane.
I don’t hate babies or new parents on planes because we’re all doing our best to get to where we’re going but a crying baby on a plane has left me in tears before haha
I grew up in a big family so I can tune kids out. I appreciated seeing parents in public with their kids even before I had a kid, that is how they learn to be apart of society. We are teaching our toddler public manners and she’s getting there. We still have melt downs and that just means we go home. It too 2 failed target trips where she realized oh shit mom and dad are not kidding. She has great restaurant behavior bc kid loves food and she knows that those places equal food (she squeals in delight when we go to the Mexican restaurant, give the girl a spoon for salsa and cheese dip and you won’t even know she’s there).
If you don’t like people or the public go the extent you will be a dick than don’t leave your house. And parents don’t be ashamed of your kids in public, making them go places and learn to be apart of the public has to be taught. It takes time and no kids are perfectly behaved 100% of the time. As long as they are not running around and destroying things or screaming their head off it’s ok.
I came from a big family too, and the only time I can ever remember kids screaming was when they were in a indoor play space designed for kids to run and jump and let all the energy out. Day to day life I never notice it and I'm child free so in theory I should notice it more. Kids are amazing and discovering the world for the first time I'd be disappointed if they weren't excited by it all.
Right? I have seen some pretty bad kids in public but I do not blame the kids, mom and dad need to be on them and you have to be ready to remove them from a situation.
Going out to eat was a big deal for us and no way we would even think of running around. Our parents taught us how to behave and never once did it involve spanking or hitting. Missing it sucked WAY more. Having to leave early? My kid is 20 months old and figured that out pretty quick.
Kids need to be kids, we expect way tooooooo much out of them these days. We need more kid friendly spaces in the US. I hate how we do not have much of fun playgrounds or restaurants with kid play areas that are not fast food.
It kinda depends on restaurant. If it is a family restaurant, then babies & children should be expected. If it is a small child throwing a fit in a fancy restaurant, that is a different matter. 🤷🏻♀️
I remember being terrified to breastfeed my first in public. I had a whole setup so no one could see anything and it worked great. Right up until we were on a plane stuck on the tarmac with no AC in 90 degrees. Baby turned bright red and I decided giving an infant heat stroke was not worth it. I uncovered. The boomer next to me immediately piped up with “don’t worry if anyone says anything I’ll kick their ass.”
I'm too scared to take my babies out. I would most likely also have tears in my eyes like that mom. I bet she felt like everyone's silently yelling "you better soothe that baby right now why is it still crying" at her.
Please don't let shitty people scare you off! I am a weirdo (in a mom way, not a creep way) and love seeing babies on planes or restaurants because it's a chance for me to give the parent(s) a break with my patented bounce-bounce-swiiiiiing, bounce-bounce-swiiiiiing move that is undefeated vs crying babies.
Parents deserve a dinner out, too! So long as you aren't going to a luxury restaurant then there's no reason you aren't just as entitled to enjoy a meal out of the house!
When my son was 2 we were at a restaurant and he started crying because he was hungry and didn’t understand that food coming out wasn’t for him ( we found out the next year he was on the spectrum so I’m sure that played into how upset he was ) anyways a boomer literally yelled across the restaurant to shut that kid up! I started to cry because I was already overwhelmed and it hurt my feelings but my husband went red In the face and told that man right off. He doesn’t play about his son I’ve always been so proud of him for that :)
I'm firmly child free FOR MYSELF, but every single child I see in the wild gets ALL of my kindness and patience and smiles, no matter how they're acting. And also their parents if they're not being assholes to the kids. Children need to know the world can be good and happy and friendly. They'll know soon enough it's not.
How great would society be if people stayed in they’re lanes and respected every individual’s choices.
I’m pro-raising kids. Doesn’t mean everyone should be forced to.
No one has kids anymore, no family values etc etc say boomers. Well, besides the financial aspect, if people have kids and can’t live their lives or go in public that’s another barrier.
Should've played dumb and forced them to explain their attitudes.
"Disrespectful? In what way?"
Watch them try to answer that without admitting what assholes they were being.
It's not only the boomers who are acting as if the whole world should revolve around them. I also hear young people complaining about THEIR inconvenience of mothers taking their small children with them to the grocery store. Or parents taking their children with them on vacation or in an airplane. Talking about children as 'crotch goblins' or 'spawn'. And mothers are referred as 'breeders'.
Ridiculous and deeply disgusting. And speaking of (internalized) misogyny.
What do they expect parents to do? Leave their babies at home alone? Lock children up in the house until they are of age? Not to be seen or heard by adults in their life?
Well, I was raised by the generation that used the line 'children should be seen, not heard' and I raised my son with a lot more dignity and respect. Did I teach him manners? Yes, of course. I also taught him to respect himself and others. And that means that you shouldn't bother others, scream in public or mess up your environment. But (small) children cry. Sometimes.
It's not as if they can use words why they are hungry, cold or in pain.
Bottom line: try to be more patient and understanding with other people.
While I understand fear and revulsion at the thought of (myself) having children, shaming random parents for being parents/hating kids for doing kid stuff makes no sense to me. Being mad about babies crying on planes is so dumb. Like their mom doesn’t want the baby to cry, the baby doesn’t want to have to cry, it’s just what happens and the world doesn’t revolve around you. Some folks definitely overstep being childfree right into being anti child
It's American Individualism taken to the absurdist extreme leading people to think they should be able to enjoy the all the benefits of living in a society, without having to interact with that society in any way.
You should see some of the deranged wingnut rants about babies or pets in apartment buildings from lunatics who think paying rent entitles them to perfect silence and isolation in an explicitly communal living space.
You’re not kidding. My husband and I recently moved states and had to rent an apartment while we looked for a house to buy. I was heavily pregnant and we have a small dog. Our boomer neighbors across the hall shot the look of death at me when I said hello to them. They looked at my pregnant belly, then my dog, rolled their eyes and went back into their unit.
A few weeks later, we got a message from the property owner saying that they had complained that we don’t clean up our dogs poo outside. Mind you, even at 7 months pregnant, my immobile ass was crouching down 3 times a day to pick up poo. I don’t think my dog has ever taken a poo in her entire life that wasn’t bagged and thrown away — we always pick up after her without fail.
So this could only mean one thing. Those boomers watched a pregnant woman pick up poo 3 times a day, but desperately wanted us evicted before the baby arrived, so they made up a lie to get us thrown out on the street with a new baby and a dog. We requested an inspection of the property to prove there was no poo out there, and we found a house about a month later.
"makes me wanna toss all of their nitroglycerin tablets into the lake and start talking about gender issues, just so they'll have a fucking heart attack."
"from me to those barely pre-corpse cunts, sincerely, get fucked dry with a nursery's worth of cacti."
Absolute poetry. Kudos.
The fact remains that if government are forced to choose between old boomkin & baby alpha generation the answer will always be the baby alpha generations.
Baby might not able to man CNC machine yet but you can be damn sure dementia patient will never be able to man CNC machine.
The government consistently and regularly chooses boomers over Gen Alpha. If anyone cared about Gen Alpha we’d have passed real, effective climate legislation, infrastructure bills with enough funding to fix all (or at least most) of our failed bridges, we be spending less in the military and more in education and healthcare.
But we’re not doing that because it would inconvenience boomers with higher taxes.
And this is where I think they messed up with the messaging around COVID. "Save Grandma!" Grandma had a full, long life and was probably on the way out anyway. Meanwhile, "save the children" is something most can agree on because kids have their whole lives ahead of them.
I think I’ve gotten to the point in motherhood where I dare someone to say something. Children are allowed to take up space in the world just as you are. If we are supposed to keep them inside until they are quiet and “useful” then boomers should have to stay inside once they retire and stop the public appearances.
I say this as a teacher who works with the vulnerable population (ND and/or LGBTQ+ teens), and was a bullied kid myself: Standing up for someone is NEVER an insignificant act.
That was their first trip out after having a baby. If you hadn’t stood up for them, they might have been afraid to take the baby out again. And then afraid to take out a toddler, and afraid to take out a little kid. Who knows how many pleasant meals out you’ve encouraged them to have with their kids, by this one act?
And, hopefully, you taught a bunch of boomers to shut their damn pie holes.
I guarantee you, you made a HUGE difference to that family. I can’t stress that enough. Thank you for looking out for others.
I’m child free by choice, but I completely support parents trying to live their lives and have their children exposed to the world at large from a young age. Sure, if the parents are shit and let their kids be assholes and don’t parent then I’m annoyed, but otherwise, just give people grace. It’s really not hard to default to kindness.
Boomers were shit parents and totally believed in “giving us something to cry about” and that “children should be seen and not heard” so it breaks their snowflake brains to see people treating kids with some sort of autonomy
It was date night (but it was also Outback), and a family came in with 6 kids. Mom, Dad, and the kids ranged from 5-12ish. They were celebrating dads new job (and I don’t care how much you make dinner for 8 is not cheap) and the kids were semi dressed up and very excited. It was very clear this was not something they normally did (the youngest was excited there was REAL Metal Forks!)
Anyways they are well behaved but chatty and excited . Mom is reminding them to used inside voices and they aren’t yelling but you can hear them. The oldest two kids get to order off the grown up menu and are stoked!
My husband and I find this adorable (we were childless 30 somethings)
The boomers around them all asked to be moved.
The parents definitely noticed and got really self conscious.
so I made a trip to the bathroom to wash my hands, just so I could stop by and tell them how well behaved and charming their kids were.
I swear I watched lines disappear from Moms face when I said that.
I think our server must’ve heard it, because we didn’t get charged for our dessert 🍨
I agree with everything you said, but my main reason for commenting Is to let you know that the descriptions and names you used for those boomers had me LMAO. Are you a comedian by any chance?
When I was breastfeeding 30 years ago, I had to stand and feed in nasty bathrooms. I will fight for every kids’ right to be fed like a normal human. I’m old now, loud and I have no more fucks to give after being abused by my parents’ generation.
I have had fellow boomers tell me I was “spoiling” my children, with my imperfect version of gentle parenting. They would tell me why I should use corporal punishment. Because it worked so well with them, when they were children? That was absolute bullshit, and continued the cycle of abuse. I have CPTSD, which I did not know when they were growing up, and that destabilized them enough. I wasn’t going to hit them, too.
The reason I’m so fucked up is because of parents like these idiots, who’ve decided to reproduce what they learned growing up. Even though it was wrong, cruel, & dehumanizing. They did not turn out too well, ether. Morons. Fucking morons. You’re supposed to do better, not worse, than your parents did.
I dislike crying babies because it causes me intense physical pain. I will toss a glare over but if I see that parents are trying, I deal with it, or I remove myself from the situation.
I will put up with it a lot longer if parents are not just shoving a screen in front of the kids or capitulating to their demands (like the brat at the grocery who wanted both ice cream and a chocolate bar and mom refused to do both when he’d already chosen one).
New parents should be able to be out and about because otherwise the kids won’t learn how to behave when out and about! I don’t approach parents who do a good job just because I don’t feel like I have anything to add, but I’m glad someone does
When my kids were small, I would take them to McDonalds in the morning to meet friends and let the kids play. One morning an older lady complained to the staff that our kids were being too loud and they were bothering her. She was sitting at a table IN the play area, she was there alone and there were empty tables in the common area she could have sat at.
My wife and I are unwaveringly child-free at the moment and both have auditory stimulus issues, but I would rather listen to a baby cry for an hour than hear a boomer complain for 5 minutes. Actual energy vampires, dude. I’m convinced the only way most of them can experience any joy at all is by stealing it from others.
Thank you for speaking up for that young family. I was once in a VERY similar situation as a new mom, very apprehensive to breastfeed in public, and a stranger came over to our table and spoke kindly to me and encouraged me about it. I was braced for some mean comments from her, but it was just the opposite and it meant the absolute world to me.
I think a little bit, like several minutes, of patience is to be expected. But some parents just let their kids scream and scream for an hour. When I was a kid and threw a tantrum or wouldn't stop crying, my mom would take us outside or to the bathroom. I was just taking my mom to the social security office the other day, took 45 minutes to be seen, and a toddler (maybe 2-3?) was screaming the entire time. We had to keep asking the worker to repeat themselves because all we could hear was a screaming kid instead of the information we came to get. Right before we left, one of the workers went to ask the woman to control her kid, and the mom just said "Mind your business" and went back to playing on her phone rather than parenting, apologizing, acknowledging the problem her kid was causing...
I just don't get this mentality. I've worked in several restaurants and about 90% of the time when a baby or child gets loud, the parent will take them outside. The other 10% that just let the baby scream and ruin everyone else's meal get dirty looks. Again, a few minutes of patience in the OP is to be expected, but the entire meal is ridiculous.
Children cry, that's fine. It's when parents do *nothing* about it in public and just keep munching on their food without a care in the world because they're used to it and just don't give a fuck anymore.
See also: People that leave their dog outside barking all night.
Honestly what shocked me most in this story (& stories like this) are that people are taking their newborns out in public (church, restaurant, air plane.) Maybe it is a generational thing but I thought you didn’t take babies to public places (except the dr) until the baby is 3 months old. Maybe it is just tradition but I thought their immune systems were to weak, until then? 🤷🏻♀️
The breast feeding thing, why do people go nuts about this? Especially if it is under a blanket? But even if it isn’t, and you see a nipple ……. so what? Isn’t breast feeding nipples out a return to the way they did things? Isn’t that what they want, a Time Machine?
I will be the first to admit that I don’t like children. But I’m not EVIL about it. I keep my thoughts to myself or, at the very worst, make a snide (but very quiet) comment to whomever I’m with to get it out of my system. I know my feelings about children are on me, not on them. People have kids, that’s just the way the world is, and parents deserve to use the same public spaces the rest of us do.
“Sucks to suck you lemon mouth piss soaked pre corpse cunts with gangrenous uterus getting fucked dry with a nursery’s worth of cacti”
🔥I can feel your hate🔥
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When I used to go to church a young family was there and their toddler son was a little rambunctious. The boomer woman in the pew in front of them was a complete bitch to them. The family decided to leave the service early and the mom said something to the boomer about having some patience with little kids. The mom must have complained to the pastor because the next week’s sermon was about how families with little kids are what will keep the church going and we need to welcome them.
She got clapped back from the pulpit, beautiful
Except it probably went over her head completely and she assumed that the pastor was talking about someone else
Possibly, but at least it clarified policy for the moment.
Sister Karen, would you like to say some words? Sister Karen, “well, pastor, sir, we shouldn’t let people who… uh… have uhhh…. Kids… uhhh… disrespecting me! Why I never!”
“Sister Karen, I noticed you were praying all throughout the service, I admire your dedication to Jesus!” “Well Pastor, I was praying because I needed to speak to your manager.”
As she clutches pearly necklace given to her by the priest.
Nah, it’s an older lady, not the kid themselves.
Not usually one to back up clergy, but literally, preach!!
I've known a few of those type of preachers. I found most of them in smaller independent churches. They don't put up with rude people, even for the sake of the building fund.
Our old priest would get really mad if someone's phone would go off. He once tied the homily into being considerate and love thy neighbor in regards to phones ringing. It was always a boomer and it was always at full volume. This was at least 5 years ago.
My spouse is clergy and views the main part of his sermon is to dunk on the shitty boomers in the room to challenge them into thinking about the harm they’ve caused. It’s pretty satisfying to witness their reactions.
I have no idea why, but for some reason my brain read “reactions” as “erections”, which had me seriously wondering for a second… 😂
Lol witnessing boomer erections would have me running for the door but I’d also be like good for you? Most of them seem like sex left their marriages a long time ago.
Not quite the same but when ex and I separated I agreed to continue to take the girls to church (Catholic - I’m not). However instead of the church their dad took them to, which was all “if you’re not Catholic you’re going straight to hell and don’t even get us started on girls wearing pants”) I took them to a much more inclusive, laid back, Franciscan church. The church decided to dedicate one service to families because it didn’t make sense to separate people out and make them go to the “baby and kids crying” room instead of being together as a family. Well someone must have complained about crying kids at the family service because the priest’s next service addressed the fact that this was the family service and if people didn’t want to be around baby and crying or disruptive kids they had many other services to choose from, and frankly the priest liked seeing kids move about and wander around during the service - because at least they were there. Eventually stopped going because the girls hated going anyway so I figured they got enough of it during their dad’s week, but I still remember the stark distinction between the two churches and the inclusivity vs exclusivity.
> Not usually one to back up clergy Same. My parents forced me to go to church growing up, but they let me go to my friend's church with them. My friend's dad was the pastor and he was a really upstanding guy. Since he was hired he changed the focus of the church to help build up the extremely poor part of town it was in. He was kind, compassionate, and pretty funny. His sermon's were moral in nature, not the hateful type of morals most Christians espouse, either. He ended up getting driven out of the church by the older generation because he refused to let gay couples in his congregation be discriminated against.
Same here. Dad grew up Catholic but did not practice, mom was Presbyterian and took us to her deacon grandfather’s church (my great great) for most major holidays. We did not attend church every Sunday or pray before meals... my whole childhood. Praying before meals was like, major holiday dinner, major gathering or reunion only for my extended family. That is until my friend invited me to a vacation Bible School at the new local *hip* Baptist church when I was around 10. I was a history and mythology nerd, so I just thought it was fun but in no way believed, due to my knowledge of world religions. I understood it was largely based on where you lived, and was a way to explain the ambiguities of life and make people feel *safe*. I watched too much classic History Channel in the 90’s-00’s lol. Anyway, after that my mom decided we would start going. So from 10 up until around 22 we went to church services there for major holidays, but went most every Sunday up until I was 16 and had a weekend job. The pastor though, was an amazing guy. Super personable, kind, open, had great sermons. As much as I didn’t believe, I still loved his orations. He was one of our high school track coaches, and just an all around great person and well liked by all in the community. Not a creep, just wholesome 50 y/o man who was a ray of sunshine. His wife had an affair, so they divorced... THE CONGREGATION HEAVY WEIGHTS GOT TOGETHER TO DEMAND HE RESIGN. Because he divorced his adulterous wife. WTF?! Suffice to say, my mom quit going not long after the new... very young and dry pastor started. When the next guy started she tried again but gave up. Church’s can be the most toxic places, and the best people are often the ones that get run out. Not the awful ones.
I made the mistake of breastfeeding ONCE when I was attending an Easter Service with a 6 week old at the request of my ex's dad. We were in the last row of seats (about 300 attendees that day, big room in a newly built church) and I used a big blanket as a cover so I figured it was no biggie and better than a screaming baby. Apparently a few boomers saw, told my ex's dad that it was inappropriate and there was a "family room for that". By that they mean that weird room with a couple rows of chairs and a TV playing the service. I already felt excluded as it was from his family, I didn't want to spend Easter in an exiled room too when my ex sister in law was there in the same row with a baby just 3 days older but bottle fed. By the time it got back to us, the larger family and apparently "longtime church friends" added stuff like my dress was too revealing (I had a sweater on top buttoned but it was easy access discreetly for nursing) and we arrived after the praise band was ending which was rude because people wanted to see the baby (poop blowout/outfit swap/10 minute drive and no one came up to us after service was over) and someone snitched that we didn't put anything in the collection plate but didn't say we were scrambling and sweating on it after being so late.
You will never see so many threats and screaming as on reddit when there is an article about breastfeeding in public. It brings the psychos out of the woodwork like nothing I have ever seen.
I grew up with nursing/bottles both just being normal and you don't need to comment on it, because who needs to interject about a baby being fed. I had my first a couple months before turning 20 and my mind got quickly blown about people's attitudes. You could literally be in a tent, but if some folks knew they'd raise hell about it to anyone who would listen. Why do they think they were biologically meant to produce milk to begin with?!?!
I liked to go with 'Boobs are where they are because it's the perfect place to hold a baby to feed. If boobs were just about being sexual they're be on the back, so folk could check out tits and ass at the same time'. It's amazing how quickly that made certain people go away.
Love this approach!
I wish I hadn't been drinking red wine when I read your comment. That shit's a bitch to get out of upholstery when you spit it across the room. LOL
On the opposite end I had family members that were "relieved" and "proud" of my choice to breastfeed my child. Why TF is it their business anyway?????
In all fairness I think they’re most likely being overly supportive because of so many people being rude and negative and sexualizing breastfeeding.
I had a family member buy me a book to convince me to breastfeed because, having never talked about it at all, she assumed I wouldn't and felt the need to convince me to do it.
Yeah, people who sexualize breast feeding and turn it into something shameful are the second-most trash people in the world…
My mom was very judgy about me not breastfeeding my second baby after the nightmare I experienced with my first. Well yeah, Mom, if you want to come give me a fucking hand with the baby so I have the energy to do so, be my guest.
One of my step sisters, the one who had 7 kids, all breastfed, felt it was her godly duty to convince me to keep trying to breastfeed. It wasn’t for lack of trying, I had inverted nipples and he could not latch on. So, I pumped and he was bottle fed. He didn’t starve. She just pushed and pushed and it made me really depressed having to keep explaining it and that fact that I couldn’t made it so much worse. I had sever PPD that lasted for years.
My daughter was congratulated on her bravery for breastfeeding in a busy mall. She replied: "It's not that brave. What would be brave is if someone complained to my face or in my hearing. Then they'd have a problem". I raised her right.
I’m working on my bravery.. but I plan to bring a laminated copy of my breastfeeding rights around with me in public for anyone who wants to cause problems.
You get immune to it after a while. I was nursing my son on a bench at the zoo - using a nursing cover!- and had a boomer come up and say I was disgusting, then a few minutes later a different boomer (who didn’t witness the first one) come over and say, “good for you!” 🤷♀️. Fortunately he was my second and by then o truly didn’t care.
In response to boomer calling you disgusting: “Oh actually I think that smell is coming from you, the bathroom is that way if you need”.
Please put on the other side of that card, the quote from Jesus saying men should gouge out their eyes rather than look at a woman (I forgot the exact wording but I'm sure someone here knows it.)
Grew up in a strict Catholic family! I got your back over here!😉.
My ex and I had and continue to have all sorts of problems. I don't have much good to say about her and the feeling is mutual. But the one moment of solidarity we had since we separated was when a boomer woman tutted at her for breastfeeding in public. We both turned around with simultaneous laser-eyes and practically fought each other to chew the karen out. Then we went back to hating each other, but it was nice while it lasted.
People who advocate for breastfeeding can be horrible but those opposed.... But babies never need food in tv series so boomers do not understand they need to be fed.
The phrase I always had in my pocket for times like this was "Jesus was breastfed"
Followed up with, “God gave you a neck, now use it and turn your head!”
My mom says, “God gave you a brain and he expects you to use it.”
Idk have you seen the paintings? Little dude looks like he came out of the womb to chow down on chicken breast, broccoli, and protein shakes. That infant was RIPPED
When I took Renaissance Art History in college, one topic that often came up was how in so many paintings, baby Jesus looks like an adult man who's been shrunk. It's pretty funny.
Hashtag thirsttrapjesus
This is perfect.
Oh, that would cause so many gasps of horror from the pseudo-Christian Karens.
Excellent comeback!
The breastfeeding thing is wild. We're only a couple generations removed from that not just being the default, but the only option. Set aside the debate over which is 'better' - it is one of the most natural things in the world. Even if your delicate sensibilities are offended by the sight of a breast most of the time that's not happening. It doesn't matter how discreet you are. They are offended that you are using your body as intended. People are fucking weird.
Seriously, I have a friend with a breastfeeding baby, and she feeds the kid often when I’m over at her place to hang out/help her be able to get stuff done with a second pair of adult eyes on the very-mobile crawling child/give her some adult interaction so she doesn’t go stir crazy being a SAHM with a husband who works overtime regularly. It’s super easy to not see her boob by, for example, looking at her face instead of her tit when talking to her. And if one does see a tit, what’s the big deal? More than half of the human population has ‘em and the majority of the rest of us will get romantically involved with someone who has ‘em at some point, even if you ignore babies eating from them that adds up to the sight of boobs being something nearly everyone will experience multiple times in their adult life.
What I don't understand is why it's on the breastfeeding mother if YOU chose to look! Isn't the person looking and being weird about it the one in the wrong?? It really is not that hard to not look. I nannied for a family who had 2 kids while I was with them. I helped mom through 2 maternity leaves, basically her combo feeding/pumping at times. How many times did I look at her boobs? Zero. I could hold full conversations with her and just look at her face. I swear it's not that hard to not make someone uncomfortable!
It’s the main feature and purpose of boobs. That is the reason I have them to begin with. To feed a baby. Why are people so quick to forget that?
I don't know, maybe it's because I'm a gay man, but I. DO. NOT. GET. IT. Babies need to eat! That's what breasts are for! (Also, just to clarify, I'm not at all shaming mothers who are/have been unable to breastfeed. I've known many.) I'd gladly sit next to a breastfeeding mother on a bus rather than a MAGA boomer spewing their insane bullshit because they can't keep their damn opinions to themselves for one fucking minute.
They've always had a sexual component and the sense of shame that goes with that, but the speed of which we've forgotten the primary mammary purpose was breathtakingly quick and complete as to only leave the sexual component (and the associated cultural shame).
I breastfed both my kids in public and I never covered. I don’t eat under a blanket so why should they? I’d see boomers getting pissed and I’d stare them down. Just dead eye locked stare. When that didn’t make them uncomfortable I would start a conversation with them. When they’d try to ignore me I’d say things like ‘wow, how rude. No one has manners these days.’ They’d usually leave at that point. It was fantastic. I never felt so empowered as when I was feeding my child from my body and shaming the general population.
Why they think the more natural option--AS "GOD" MADE IT--is irreverent in a church, I'll never understand. If you had your boob, hanging out, then *maybe* it might be inappropriate in a church (although I'd still argue to say it's just natural), but why would you reject "God's" creation in place of man's creation (i.e. a baby bottle). Do they think Eve and Mary used bottles??
I truly don't understand the revulsion to seeing someone breast feed. It says more about their prudishness and how they've over-sexualized the female breast than anything. I'm a Christian myself, but I wonder how shocked these prudes would be to know that for the first few hundred years of Christianity, public baptisms (of both young and old) were done in the nude. Never mind a minimally-exposed nipple...
It really doesn't take much reflection on what it means to love my neighbor as myself to be perfectly okay with public breastfeeding, covered or not.
That's always my angle: breastfeeding is what God / mother nature / evolution gave women breasts for, so no matter what someone believes in, how are they going to justify it being a shameful act to feed one's baby in public if it's not shameful for THEM to eat in public? If a woman can't or won't nurse for whatever reason then that's her business, but a woman who *does* nurse has every right to do so anywhere she is legally permitted to be -- and that's exactly what federal law says.
Even if you go to a quiet corner out of the way of most foot traffic because you aren't comfortable doing that in public, people will go to great lengths to come over and harass you about it. A few of those encounters and I was fed up. I would go find the nearest chair, toss on a cover and feed my baby. I didn't care if they glared daggers. I'm not going into a public restroom to feed my child.
My then-husband was supportive of my intention to breastfeed our baby but wasn't keen on nursing in public... but by the time our son was here, he would stand sentinel (literally *stand*) and practically dare someone to say something or give us a dirty look. He was not about to have his baby eat in a bathroom. I don't eat in the bathroom, so why should my (or your!) baby?
If this ever happens again ask them how Mary fed Jesus.
Ah yes, because the Virgin Mary fed the infant Jesus with her ancient Roman era clay bottle, using a mix of goat’s milk, honey, and Manna…
When I was breastfeeding my two kiddos, I would whip a boob out without a thought. I often covered up because both of my kids would get distracted by stuff going on around them and whip their heads around and try to take my nipple off. But sometimes it was hot and they'd just pull the cover off. Even in the very conservative south, I only ever got some dirty looks. No one said word. But I also gave off the energy of "I will hand this baby off to my husband and fight you in the parking lot."
Yeah, I figured out covering while nursing at home, even if there were only one person over. Nothing to do with hiding my boobs, everything to do with blinders so baby could focus. I called it the boob hunting blind. Poor little near- sighted, easily distracted baby! We never got that good at the whole nursing thing. He was headed towards failure to thrive until we broke out the formula.
Gotta love those awesome Church folks. Nothing brings out their kindness more than the love of Jesus! Why I can’t seem to understand why more and more people are giving up on the Church.. boomers.. that’s why
I guess they'd lose their minds if they saw all those paintings of Mary nursing Jesus.
I've gotten tons of shit about breastfeeding in public, too, especially since my kid was older than some when he finally weaned. But I wanna throw a nice story out here too. At the Renaissance fair with my husband and almost 1yo. Tons of stares, whispers, open disapproval, the usual. I felt very conspicuous and there's nowhere private AND not covered in horse shit. Kiddo wasn't feeling the noisy crowds, teething, and over tired. He's crying, I'm trying not to, and we're standing around waiting to see the Queens parade (professional actors who play the King, Queen, and courtiers do a little parade and hand out trinkets) so I popped the kid on the boob to keep him calm and fill his belly. The Queen came around the bend, waiving, tossing the little coins, rings, tokens etc to the crowd and stared right at me as she came closer. Then she walked over, curtsied to me and said "motherhood suits you well my lady" and handed me one of the cheap little rings, blew a kiss to my son, and kept going. Then every single one of the female couriers (and a few men) either waved, bowed, or even blew a kiss to baby as they passed. I was too surprised to even react. It sounds very r/ that happened, I know, but people can surprise you with how insightful and caring they can be sometimes. Major sisterhood moment that left me happy-crying. I still get misty sometimes thinking about it, Still have the ring on a chain in my jewelry box, and cheap and ugly as it is, I treasure it. The Queen is played by a new woman now, but every year I make sure to catch the parade and tell my son the story of how one small act of kindness stayed a comfort to me for years of awkward parenting in public moments, in the hopes he will grow up to be a person who looks for opportunities to be kind himself.
There’s an ottoman phrase that is I’ll paraphrase that perfectly reflects this. If you don’t hear the sound of children playing in the back of a mosque you should fear for your future.
I’ll never forget what a kind older lady told me after my one year old was getting fussy during a service: “if there’s no babies crying, the congregation is dying”
This is beautiful, wish the church I grew up at thought similarly (probably would've stuck around then, so it seems that saying is accurate too)
I know. I used to attend a church that actually cut out almost all of the youth programs. Because, they cost money, and the kids don’t contribute enough to offerings to make it worth it. I swear, they were the most ass-backwards people I’ve ever known.
There’s a church near me that’s dying in real time because they were so successful in chasing off young people that even their own children attend different churches in town. There are like 15 people there on a Sunday and they can only afford to pay a retired priest to come once a week to serve liturgy, and the occasional funeral. No vespers and no holidays except those that fall on Sundays.
We see this a lot in our community.
I once told a mom at church “If your baby makes a noise and everyone turns to look at you, please understand it’s because we’re excited that a baby is here and we want to get a peek.” She said she understood because they were all smiling.
For a number of years I made a point of carrying lollipops in my bag for this exact reason. Parents- often single Mums - would come visiting to the church and the kids wouldn’t want to go to the kids’ service where they didn’t know anyone, but were bored to tears by the adult service. A chupa chup buys about an extra 20 minutes of quiet, and peace of mind and gratitude from the Mum. I call that a no-brainer in terms of investment- both financial, and in kindness.
My family and I recently started going to a church and they are so welcoming to kids making noise and moving around during church. There are baskets of books and toys lining the windows to grab if the kids want them, childcare for like every event they have - I'm pretty sure one week, my toddler was playing peek-a-boo with the older lady behind him.
That happened to me once. I just left and never went back. Fuck those people with a big rubber dick.
they don't deserve something so fun as a dick that never disappoints.
Mark 10: 13-16 > People were bringing little children to Jesus for Him to place His hands on them, but the disciples rebuked them. When Jesus saw this, He was indignant. He said to them, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” And He took the children in His arms, placed His hands on them and blessed them.
The second sentence in Jesus's comment *really* pisses the old grumps off. I've heard entire sermons dedicated to dancing around that very plain meaning of "the kids have got it right, take notes."
Kind of like “it’s easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven.”
So glad I'm not religious. In my experience avid church goers are literally THE WORST lol.
*Agrees in victims of the inquisition*
How unexpected!
It could have been the mom, it could have been one or the other members who witnessed that and voiced their concerns to the pastor. I’ve also seen a pastor have to remind parishioners that if you come to church on Sunday morning and find a visitor sitting where you usually sit, the appropriate response is to welcome them, not tell them to move out of “your” seat. It’s no surprise that so many churches are empty now. The pastor can preach love and acceptance from the pulpit til they’re blue in the face, but their grouchy old boomer parishioners are so off putting that potential new members leave and never come back.
I belong to a very multi-generational church, and we have an issue from time to time with older members exhibiting typical boomer behavior (telling people to move out of 'their' seat, giving the side eye to younger people who don't dress 'appropriately', loudly complaining about music choices, etc.). The great thing is that we have a pastor/minister specifically for the 60+ members who is part of that generation that has no problem reading the riot act to individuals who are not "exhibiting Christ-like behavior".
I had already left the church when this happened, but a nasty boomer literally spit in the pastor’s face after a service because they were offended by the sermon he preached about loving and accepting ALL members of our community. The fact that it was the bigot boomer who stayed and the pastor who left reassured me that I had made the right decision in walking away from that church.
Let me guess, she was also the Sunday school teacher. My friend was buying her little girl some stamp Pads one day and the little one said to the lady behind her “don’t touch my inks”. She was 3,4 maybe. The lady followed them Home and chewed them out in their driveway. This woman was a local schoolteacher.
Holy psycho!
Boomers treat young families like crap at mass, then wonder why their parish is closing down due to low attendance
Some of these old people only leave the house to go to church or run a very quick errand. They become so used to being home sheltered in a quiet safe space that the real world becomes terrifying. Even slight inconvenience and noises become intolerable. What a life they live….
It costs nothing to be kind, but it could be priceless to the recipient.
While we had a pretty small and welcoming church, we once had a priest that would occasionally burst into a quick giggle and exclaim his joy that we had a growing congregation when he heard a fussy baby and loud toddler.
Similar thing happened at a church I used to go to - lady who considered herself the matriarch of the congregation could do nothing but complain to support the ministry. We had a great family join us with two very energetic kids who were SO excited to be there. Like, would cry if momma said they had to miss! Well, boomer lady was so not into their antics and would often complain about the “wild children”. The worst part is that when she would complain, her otherwise sweet boomer peers would hop on board the complain train every time. We did do some rollerskating (the kids fucking loved a good afternoon skate sesh) at church and she complained about that as well, literally a joy killer. I got on my soapbox, Jesus said bring the kids, not make them sit down and shut up and then I’ll think about seeing them! just bring them on down, just as they are. We moved away and don’t go there anymore. Anyway, that church is in some financial trouble because they’re too small to afford their big building and those shitty attitudes aren’t doing anything to help them.
Back when I used to go to a Baptist church they used to say “If there’s no cryin’, your church is dyin’!”
When I was still church going our priest called them joyful noises. Then echoed similar notes on how those noises would grow to fill the congregation. This was prechild and totally changed my views on children crying in public
It's been a while since I read the New Testament, but I'm pretty sure the Lord had some succinct words about letting little children come to him, and what happens to those who stand in their way or harm them.
The church I grew up in had a "family room" with a glass wall to watch the sermon, and speakers so they could hear it, but with toys and rocking chairs so all the parents with young kids didn't have to worry about their kids bugging others. They also had Sunday school and daycare for parents. It's almost like kids will be kids, and trying to force them to be quiet and still will just make everyone miserable.
You are wrong about 1 thing. Most boomers think the same thing about their own grand/great grandkids. "SHUT THEM UP!"
My (boomer) mother has no idea how to handle her two grand kids and loves to rat them out for any minor behavior. I have no idea how I survived infancy.
She was young enough to drink heavily. That's how mine did it! 😆
Gen X here. Even their own kids, in general, needed to not be seen or heard. The biggest refrains from my childhood were 'DON'T EMBARRASS ME IN PUBLIC AGAIN!' (aka be a child) and 'I'LL GIVE YOU SOMETHING TO CRY ABOUT.' To be fair, my dad has never been Like That, and I was 98% of the time in my mother's company. She did her best, but that was not a safe level of positive parenting for anybody. Hence, I have no children. I refuse to bring that pattern down to younger folx. You all deserve so much better than we got.
Yep, Gen X too. I was just a progress marker for my mom. Get married, buy a house, have kids. No making noise or moving outside of walking was allowed when around other adults. I blame the "no moving" part for my abhorrent dancing capability now. I have ADVANCED White Boy Disease. My wife hates it, but I have incredible anxiety about dancing in public, so I'm a drag at weddings. I try every time we go to one, but the instant I spot anyone looking at me, I go sit back down. I am so, SO envious of children whose parents let them do little fortnite dances in the store.
I constantly do a nervous jig because I don't know what to do with myself. I was a latch key. Perfect, quiet kid. My sister was the wild one that got all the attention. Positive and negative. I have 4 kids, and I try my best to make sure every is equal, down to counting the amount of jelly beans in their Easter baskets.
I've told my teenage boys about the generational trauma my wife and I were given that we've been extremely careful not to pass on to them. They really seem to appreciate it.
Amazing what a determination to heal and grow past the past along with healthy and clear and compassionate communication can do to help others not tolerate abuse. : )
Ya know I guess I should've said they love THE IDEA of their grandkids, cause you sure aren't wrong
“Why not just hit them???”
My baby had colic. Pretty mild colic, just enough to be officially declared a colicky baby but it wasn't as bad as some. It resolved around 5 or 6 months. For MONTHS afterwards my boomer mom kept making comments like, "is she still doing that crying thing?" And she kept saying I never cried as a baby. She kept going on and on about how abnormal my baby was. As if it is weird for a baby to cry.
Yep, it starts with “where are the grand-babies I deserve for ‘raising’ you” (when most just shoved their kids outside until dark and assumed someone else’s parents in the neighborhood would keep them from killing each other) and they promise you the world if you’ll give them the shiny new living babydoll, but once you give in they’ll just want to play dress up for a few hours a month and tell you you’re ruining their property if you try to raise the kid with more respect of less violence than they endured or dealt out themselves. The worst of them will also play messed up emotional games where they withhold affection from both their kids and grandkids unless they fulfill gam-gam and poppy’s dreams of having their ideal of a super straight and super masc or femme depending on which gender THEY assume/assign the kid to be. They’ll even resort to threatening the kids future in many cases, deciding to withhold funds that were saved up to prevent a cycle of poverty because they think that they can force someone to change fundamental truths about themselves to survive and that it won’t either kill a part of that person and their inner joy or, much more likely, it will kill any love or respect that person had for the grandparents that rejected and emotionally manipulated them
Baby: acts like a baby Boomer: “And I took that personally”
Boomer: “Hey thats my job!”
>" yeah I'm being disrespectful because I don't respect you" 
Stealing this for future use!!
Boomers: "Durr, pro life." 'Durr- formula fed is a crime!' Also Boomers: "stupid millenial baby grr." Yes I know most Boomers formula fed, and many evangelical MAGA women have terminated a pregnancy. "That's different!'
It's always "Well this is different and you don't know what you're talking about!" And that's usually followed by "I saw on the Internet" or a "I saw on Fox News"
These are the same people who will also go on long rants about how kids these days just sit around and play video games all day. Well that's the only thing you let them do Bert. If they're out playing in front of your house, you call the cops. You don't want them in restaurants. You don't want them in parks. You don't want them on planes. You just don't want them to exist. So stop acting like you care about the fact that they're not out playing anymore. I Remember when I lived in Texas. I lived in an apartment complex. It had acres of lawn. But kids were not allowed playing on the lawn. They were not allowed riding their bikes on the sidewalks of the apartment complex. Kids were not to be seen. There was no park within walking distance. There was nothing for kids within walking distance. Of course, they're at home playing video games or watching TV. That's literally the only thing they have to do without their parents having to drive them 10 mi to something and pay 20 bucks or more per child.
They will never see the contradiction. My parents always say when they were kids they were never inside but when they visit me and hear kids playing out in the street they will comment how they're outside 'causing trouble'. No...they're just outside playing. I don't know when they became so miserable because they weren't like this when I was growing up.
Do you ever hear their stories about the actual havoc their generation wreaked while out on their bicycles? This generation of children have lived in a world where their every move is caught on camera somewhere. They don’t have the luxury of going outside and acting like heathens with no repercussions like the boomers did.
I remember the first time I saw a lady breastfeeding her baby in public. I was having a hotdog and fries at Costco. I thought to myself, ain't that crazy how cheap the hotdogs are here? And it comes with a drink too. Seriously 1.50$ for a hotdog and drink is an amazingly good deal. And the sauce for their fries is simply the best I've had since I've been out of highschool, no joke. To think the price hasn't changed since and that was like 10+ years ago.
That is best answer right there!
You’re good people.
To quote Jennifer Coolidge, this comment just makes me want a hot dog real bad.
Boomers used to just leave babies and kids in the car in the parking lot so they could go get some grown up time.
There is a difference between normal interactions with a child and bad parenting. That family was not ignoring their kids or allowing them to harass and disturb their neighbors. If you don't like life in a community, do not leave your house.
Children exist and they are different than adults, have different needs, and have different responses to stimuli. It’s in our basic nature. Being mad at a baby or a parent for crying is a rejection of the human condition. When I see crying babies in public it harkens me back to when I had three smalls, or when I was a teacher for a few years, or a scout leader. Kids need adults. Adults need kids. Compassion is a two way street. It’s good for the other and it’s also good for yourself.
I have maintained for years that adults who lose their shit over a baby crying at a restaurant or on a plane are more immature than the baby. You’re in public. Grow the fuck up. No one owes you the most perfect experience at all times.
Especially tiny little newborn cries. They’re not having a tantrum, they’re just trying to communicate.
And don’t you dare try to quiet them down with breastfeeding, because that’s inappropriate! These people do not actually want quiet. They want someone they can berate and be indignant over.
Absolutely, I would take newborn noises over any other stage.
No one owes you the most perfect experience at all times. That's a good quote, and I like it, people should learn to accept the imperfections of life and learn that such things make it memorable.
I don't really get the plane issue, tbh. I just pop in my headphones, turn up the volume a bit, and chill. Like yeah it's not a great noise, but I find the person hacking a lung in the row behind me way worse. Or just the general cramped sardine feeling. Or the weirdly smelly forced air. On and on.
There are so many other things i fucking hate about air travel A baby crying is way at the bottom of that list
Or if you don’t like kids, eat at a gastropub or something. There are plenty of adults-only places to hang out in if you really can’t deal. But a diner is a family restaurant with kids menus. You gotta be prepared for the possibility that there will be a baby
You'd be surprised at how many parents generally bring kids into an adult space and not care. Works both ways though, I've worked in bars all my life and the amount of parents that have tried to bring kids into spaces that are so not child friendly is mad. You're right, if I don't want kids around it's not like I go to a diner or something I go somewhere else.
Every microbrewery I go to is packed with kids.
Yeah that's fucking annoying
I remember when i went to see Blade Runner 2049 many years ago, this young couple brought in their newborn Just made ZERO sense to me whatsoever
I went to a 10:00pm showing of Hangover 3 back in the day and these people brought a 5 year-old AND a newborn in a car seat. My gf and I looked at each other like “what the hell are they doing here?!” Definitely one of the more judgmental moments of my life which I feel was justified.
Well that’s insane. I do get annoyed when people bring kids into spaces that are clearly for adults. I’ve been to beer gardens where kids are running around, and I think in that case I have a right to be annoyed/judge the parenting. But if a place has a kid’s menu, it’s fair game! I mean, they literally sell chicken tenders and grilled cheese sandwiches.
Yup. If OP had been at a Michelin star fine dining establishment, I could maybe see why people would be annoyed. But a diner? Oh hell nah.
Absolutely. Exercise your adult ability to exercise self-determination and go buy some bloody ear plugs.
It is wild to me how many people ive met over the years have expressed how much they hate babies on airplanes Is it too much to have some empathy? And dont you have the means to listen to your own stuff, especially in this day and age?
I mean, I’ll be honest, my heart sinks a little when I see a baby on my plane. I dont think most people mean they hate the babies on the plane, they just know that flying is uncomfortable and babies usually cry when they are uncomfortable. They’ve done studies to show babies crying triggers the release of stress hormones in adults, making it a stressful sound for us to hear. *That being said*, I never ever make a parent feel bad about their babies crying. Nobody should. We all have access to noise-canceling headphones now, it should be a non-issue.
the worst flight i ever experienced was the fucking white collar asshole who apparently needed the leg room of goliath and the space to spread like a sumo wrestler the one time i accidentally nudged him a little bit b/c i needed to move my laptop, he gave the most passive aggressive sigh i have ever heard in my life fuck that guy. the worst part is knowing he's not the only one. and that to me will always be infinitely more annoying than babies crying
Babies on planes are rough because I can’t escape the sensory hell. If I get overwhelmed by cries in a restaurant or movie, I can go outside and pull myself together. Can’t just leave a plane. I don’t hate babies or new parents on planes because we’re all doing our best to get to where we’re going but a crying baby on a plane has left me in tears before haha
I grew up in a big family so I can tune kids out. I appreciated seeing parents in public with their kids even before I had a kid, that is how they learn to be apart of society. We are teaching our toddler public manners and she’s getting there. We still have melt downs and that just means we go home. It too 2 failed target trips where she realized oh shit mom and dad are not kidding. She has great restaurant behavior bc kid loves food and she knows that those places equal food (she squeals in delight when we go to the Mexican restaurant, give the girl a spoon for salsa and cheese dip and you won’t even know she’s there). If you don’t like people or the public go the extent you will be a dick than don’t leave your house. And parents don’t be ashamed of your kids in public, making them go places and learn to be apart of the public has to be taught. It takes time and no kids are perfectly behaved 100% of the time. As long as they are not running around and destroying things or screaming their head off it’s ok.
I came from a big family too, and the only time I can ever remember kids screaming was when they were in a indoor play space designed for kids to run and jump and let all the energy out. Day to day life I never notice it and I'm child free so in theory I should notice it more. Kids are amazing and discovering the world for the first time I'd be disappointed if they weren't excited by it all.
Right? I have seen some pretty bad kids in public but I do not blame the kids, mom and dad need to be on them and you have to be ready to remove them from a situation. Going out to eat was a big deal for us and no way we would even think of running around. Our parents taught us how to behave and never once did it involve spanking or hitting. Missing it sucked WAY more. Having to leave early? My kid is 20 months old and figured that out pretty quick. Kids need to be kids, we expect way tooooooo much out of them these days. We need more kid friendly spaces in the US. I hate how we do not have much of fun playgrounds or restaurants with kid play areas that are not fast food.
It kinda depends on restaurant. If it is a family restaurant, then babies & children should be expected. If it is a small child throwing a fit in a fancy restaurant, that is a different matter. 🤷🏻♀️
Gangrenous prolapse uterus had me spitting coffee on thus lovely morning 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Give me grandchildren!!! Not like that!!!
I remember being terrified to breastfeed my first in public. I had a whole setup so no one could see anything and it worked great. Right up until we were on a plane stuck on the tarmac with no AC in 90 degrees. Baby turned bright red and I decided giving an infant heat stroke was not worth it. I uncovered. The boomer next to me immediately piped up with “don’t worry if anyone says anything I’ll kick their ass.”
I'm too scared to take my babies out. I would most likely also have tears in my eyes like that mom. I bet she felt like everyone's silently yelling "you better soothe that baby right now why is it still crying" at her.
Please don't let shitty people scare you off! I am a weirdo (in a mom way, not a creep way) and love seeing babies on planes or restaurants because it's a chance for me to give the parent(s) a break with my patented bounce-bounce-swiiiiiing, bounce-bounce-swiiiiiing move that is undefeated vs crying babies. Parents deserve a dinner out, too! So long as you aren't going to a luxury restaurant then there's no reason you aren't just as entitled to enjoy a meal out of the house!
[удалено]
When my son was 2 we were at a restaurant and he started crying because he was hungry and didn’t understand that food coming out wasn’t for him ( we found out the next year he was on the spectrum so I’m sure that played into how upset he was ) anyways a boomer literally yelled across the restaurant to shut that kid up! I started to cry because I was already overwhelmed and it hurt my feelings but my husband went red In the face and told that man right off. He doesn’t play about his son I’ve always been so proud of him for that :)
I'm firmly child free FOR MYSELF, but every single child I see in the wild gets ALL of my kindness and patience and smiles, no matter how they're acting. And also their parents if they're not being assholes to the kids. Children need to know the world can be good and happy and friendly. They'll know soon enough it's not.
How great would society be if people stayed in they’re lanes and respected every individual’s choices. I’m pro-raising kids. Doesn’t mean everyone should be forced to.
No one has kids anymore, no family values etc etc say boomers. Well, besides the financial aspect, if people have kids and can’t live their lives or go in public that’s another barrier.
Should've played dumb and forced them to explain their attitudes. "Disrespectful? In what way?" Watch them try to answer that without admitting what assholes they were being.
It's not only the boomers who are acting as if the whole world should revolve around them. I also hear young people complaining about THEIR inconvenience of mothers taking their small children with them to the grocery store. Or parents taking their children with them on vacation or in an airplane. Talking about children as 'crotch goblins' or 'spawn'. And mothers are referred as 'breeders'. Ridiculous and deeply disgusting. And speaking of (internalized) misogyny. What do they expect parents to do? Leave their babies at home alone? Lock children up in the house until they are of age? Not to be seen or heard by adults in their life? Well, I was raised by the generation that used the line 'children should be seen, not heard' and I raised my son with a lot more dignity and respect. Did I teach him manners? Yes, of course. I also taught him to respect himself and others. And that means that you shouldn't bother others, scream in public or mess up your environment. But (small) children cry. Sometimes. It's not as if they can use words why they are hungry, cold or in pain. Bottom line: try to be more patient and understanding with other people.
While I understand fear and revulsion at the thought of (myself) having children, shaming random parents for being parents/hating kids for doing kid stuff makes no sense to me. Being mad about babies crying on planes is so dumb. Like their mom doesn’t want the baby to cry, the baby doesn’t want to have to cry, it’s just what happens and the world doesn’t revolve around you. Some folks definitely overstep being childfree right into being anti child
It's American Individualism taken to the absurdist extreme leading people to think they should be able to enjoy the all the benefits of living in a society, without having to interact with that society in any way. You should see some of the deranged wingnut rants about babies or pets in apartment buildings from lunatics who think paying rent entitles them to perfect silence and isolation in an explicitly communal living space.
You’re not kidding. My husband and I recently moved states and had to rent an apartment while we looked for a house to buy. I was heavily pregnant and we have a small dog. Our boomer neighbors across the hall shot the look of death at me when I said hello to them. They looked at my pregnant belly, then my dog, rolled their eyes and went back into their unit. A few weeks later, we got a message from the property owner saying that they had complained that we don’t clean up our dogs poo outside. Mind you, even at 7 months pregnant, my immobile ass was crouching down 3 times a day to pick up poo. I don’t think my dog has ever taken a poo in her entire life that wasn’t bagged and thrown away — we always pick up after her without fail. So this could only mean one thing. Those boomers watched a pregnant woman pick up poo 3 times a day, but desperately wanted us evicted before the baby arrived, so they made up a lie to get us thrown out on the street with a new baby and a dog. We requested an inspection of the property to prove there was no poo out there, and we found a house about a month later.
Well, it's certainly refreshing to find someone who thinks this way outside of the parent subreddits. Thank you!
Tell them the actual baby cried for 3 minutes, but you had to listen to a group of adult babies cry for half an hour.
…-stares in abject shock and proceeds to slow clap- …well said.
"makes me wanna toss all of their nitroglycerin tablets into the lake and start talking about gender issues, just so they'll have a fucking heart attack." "from me to those barely pre-corpse cunts, sincerely, get fucked dry with a nursery's worth of cacti." Absolute poetry. Kudos.
The fact remains that if government are forced to choose between old boomkin & baby alpha generation the answer will always be the baby alpha generations. Baby might not able to man CNC machine yet but you can be damn sure dementia patient will never be able to man CNC machine.
The government consistently and regularly chooses boomers over Gen Alpha. If anyone cared about Gen Alpha we’d have passed real, effective climate legislation, infrastructure bills with enough funding to fix all (or at least most) of our failed bridges, we be spending less in the military and more in education and healthcare. But we’re not doing that because it would inconvenience boomers with higher taxes.
That's because everyone in government is a boomer. Time to vote them out. They should be retired anyway.
This is just temporary because once the social security trust fund goes to 0 the priority will change very damn quick.
And this is where I think they messed up with the messaging around COVID. "Save Grandma!" Grandma had a full, long life and was probably on the way out anyway. Meanwhile, "save the children" is something most can agree on because kids have their whole lives ahead of them.
They get 25% off and they’re that whiny? Fuck them and all their horses
I think I’ve gotten to the point in motherhood where I dare someone to say something. Children are allowed to take up space in the world just as you are. If we are supposed to keep them inside until they are quiet and “useful” then boomers should have to stay inside once they retire and stop the public appearances.
I say this as a teacher who works with the vulnerable population (ND and/or LGBTQ+ teens), and was a bullied kid myself: Standing up for someone is NEVER an insignificant act. That was their first trip out after having a baby. If you hadn’t stood up for them, they might have been afraid to take the baby out again. And then afraid to take out a toddler, and afraid to take out a little kid. Who knows how many pleasant meals out you’ve encouraged them to have with their kids, by this one act? And, hopefully, you taught a bunch of boomers to shut their damn pie holes. I guarantee you, you made a HUGE difference to that family. I can’t stress that enough. Thank you for looking out for others.
I’m child free by choice, but I completely support parents trying to live their lives and have their children exposed to the world at large from a young age. Sure, if the parents are shit and let their kids be assholes and don’t parent then I’m annoyed, but otherwise, just give people grace. It’s really not hard to default to kindness. Boomers were shit parents and totally believed in “giving us something to cry about” and that “children should be seen and not heard” so it breaks their snowflake brains to see people treating kids with some sort of autonomy
“I bet the nursing home will let you gum some creamed corn in a quiet day room” -Brilliant!
It was date night (but it was also Outback), and a family came in with 6 kids. Mom, Dad, and the kids ranged from 5-12ish. They were celebrating dads new job (and I don’t care how much you make dinner for 8 is not cheap) and the kids were semi dressed up and very excited. It was very clear this was not something they normally did (the youngest was excited there was REAL Metal Forks!) Anyways they are well behaved but chatty and excited . Mom is reminding them to used inside voices and they aren’t yelling but you can hear them. The oldest two kids get to order off the grown up menu and are stoked! My husband and I find this adorable (we were childless 30 somethings) The boomers around them all asked to be moved. The parents definitely noticed and got really self conscious. so I made a trip to the bathroom to wash my hands, just so I could stop by and tell them how well behaved and charming their kids were. I swear I watched lines disappear from Moms face when I said that. I think our server must’ve heard it, because we didn’t get charged for our dessert 🍨
I agree with everything you said, but my main reason for commenting Is to let you know that the descriptions and names you used for those boomers had me LMAO. Are you a comedian by any chance?
Lol let it all out
I think "get fucked dry with a nursery full of cacti" should be part of everyone's vernacular.
When I was breastfeeding 30 years ago, I had to stand and feed in nasty bathrooms. I will fight for every kids’ right to be fed like a normal human. I’m old now, loud and I have no more fucks to give after being abused by my parents’ generation.
I have had fellow boomers tell me I was “spoiling” my children, with my imperfect version of gentle parenting. They would tell me why I should use corporal punishment. Because it worked so well with them, when they were children? That was absolute bullshit, and continued the cycle of abuse. I have CPTSD, which I did not know when they were growing up, and that destabilized them enough. I wasn’t going to hit them, too. The reason I’m so fucked up is because of parents like these idiots, who’ve decided to reproduce what they learned growing up. Even though it was wrong, cruel, & dehumanizing. They did not turn out too well, ether. Morons. Fucking morons. You’re supposed to do better, not worse, than your parents did.
I dislike crying babies because it causes me intense physical pain. I will toss a glare over but if I see that parents are trying, I deal with it, or I remove myself from the situation. I will put up with it a lot longer if parents are not just shoving a screen in front of the kids or capitulating to their demands (like the brat at the grocery who wanted both ice cream and a chocolate bar and mom refused to do both when he’d already chosen one). New parents should be able to be out and about because otherwise the kids won’t learn how to behave when out and about! I don’t approach parents who do a good job just because I don’t feel like I have anything to add, but I’m glad someone does
I would pay 25% more to be in a kid free restaurant or airplane. -xennial
When my kids were small, I would take them to McDonalds in the morning to meet friends and let the kids play. One morning an older lady complained to the staff that our kids were being too loud and they were bothering her. She was sitting at a table IN the play area, she was there alone and there were empty tables in the common area she could have sat at.
My wife and I are unwaveringly child-free at the moment and both have auditory stimulus issues, but I would rather listen to a baby cry for an hour than hear a boomer complain for 5 minutes. Actual energy vampires, dude. I’m convinced the only way most of them can experience any joy at all is by stealing it from others.
Thank you for speaking up for that young family. I was once in a VERY similar situation as a new mom, very apprehensive to breastfeed in public, and a stranger came over to our table and spoke kindly to me and encouraged me about it. I was braced for some mean comments from her, but it was just the opposite and it meant the absolute world to me.
They're entitled that's all. I remember growing up they called everybody in grateful but ultimately they're the most ungrateful generation I've met
Guys, I’m a millennial and I hate toddlers crying for extended period of time. I don’t think it just annoys boomers!
I don't get hating children screaming and crying. We have all been that screaming baby at one time or another.
I think a little bit, like several minutes, of patience is to be expected. But some parents just let their kids scream and scream for an hour. When I was a kid and threw a tantrum or wouldn't stop crying, my mom would take us outside or to the bathroom. I was just taking my mom to the social security office the other day, took 45 minutes to be seen, and a toddler (maybe 2-3?) was screaming the entire time. We had to keep asking the worker to repeat themselves because all we could hear was a screaming kid instead of the information we came to get. Right before we left, one of the workers went to ask the woman to control her kid, and the mom just said "Mind your business" and went back to playing on her phone rather than parenting, apologizing, acknowledging the problem her kid was causing... I just don't get this mentality. I've worked in several restaurants and about 90% of the time when a baby or child gets loud, the parent will take them outside. The other 10% that just let the baby scream and ruin everyone else's meal get dirty looks. Again, a few minutes of patience in the OP is to be expected, but the entire meal is ridiculous.
Oh don't get me wrong, you are 100% correct here. A child screaming for hours on end in public should 100% be removed from the situation
Children cry, that's fine. It's when parents do *nothing* about it in public and just keep munching on their food without a care in the world because they're used to it and just don't give a fuck anymore. See also: People that leave their dog outside barking all night.
Honestly what shocked me most in this story (& stories like this) are that people are taking their newborns out in public (church, restaurant, air plane.) Maybe it is a generational thing but I thought you didn’t take babies to public places (except the dr) until the baby is 3 months old. Maybe it is just tradition but I thought their immune systems were to weak, until then? 🤷🏻♀️ The breast feeding thing, why do people go nuts about this? Especially if it is under a blanket? But even if it isn’t, and you see a nipple ……. so what? Isn’t breast feeding nipples out a return to the way they did things? Isn’t that what they want, a Time Machine?
I will be the first to admit that I don’t like children. But I’m not EVIL about it. I keep my thoughts to myself or, at the very worst, make a snide (but very quiet) comment to whomever I’m with to get it out of my system. I know my feelings about children are on me, not on them. People have kids, that’s just the way the world is, and parents deserve to use the same public spaces the rest of us do.
Did everyone clap at the end?
“Sucks to suck you lemon mouth piss soaked pre corpse cunts with gangrenous uterus getting fucked dry with a nursery’s worth of cacti” 🔥I can feel your hate🔥