June 09, 2011

Just Call Me Granny

I was shopping with the girls yesterday when a woman approached me. "Oh, are they quadruplets?" "Yes," I answered. Her next question floored me: "So are you the grandma or the mom?" Um, say what now?
I'm 36. I don't really care if you know my age. Some days I feel 36, most days I'm surprised it has been so long since I graduated college. I don't have a gray hair on my head. (Some of this could be due to the fact that my hair is highlighted, which could hide any potential gray). Sure, I'm starting to get laugh lines, crow's feet, the typical signs of aging that happen as one approaches 40... but grandma? Whatever. 
At least I have my girls to give me an ego boost. The past few summers I've known that I need to wear a hat out in the sun. The ones I've found tend be too "working in the garden" or way too expensive or both. But the other day I found one on clearance at Old Navy ($5.... my kind of price). I tried it on and all four girls oohed and ahhhed. "Mom," one of the exclaimed, "You look soooooo stylish." All the way to the car they talked about how "cute" I looked, how much they liked my hat and how they couldn't wait for me to wear it to the pool. When my girls receive new clothes they like to model them in a fashion show of sorts. As soon as we arrived home from Old Navy, they begged me to have a fashion show to show off my hat. I guess that makes up for rude people who call me granny!

10 comments:

MaryAnne said...

Wow. I'm thirty and I have a ton of grey hair. And everyone always think my MIL is my sister. People say the strangest things...

MandyE (Twin Trials and Triumphs) said...

Only once have I asked someone when they were expecting...only to find out they weren't. I vowed NEVER AGAIN to make any kind of potentially-embarrassing comment!!! :)

But wow, that's just crazy what was asked of you! I'm guessing you didn't mean this post to have a "teen mom" spin, but I have to wonder if the prevalence of those ideas in the media makes people more likely to think we 30/40-something mamas might be grandmas. Just because it may technically, biologically be feasible, doesn't mean it's likely! Gah!

Glad you're taking it in stride...and loving your new hat. :)

Suzy said...

I will be 35 in September. I would kill anyone who thought I was my kids' grandma!!

Quadmama said...

The whole teen mom thing crossed my mind... but then I decided, when in doubt just ask if the woman in question is the mom! Wouldn't it be better to compliment someone than insult them? I've been with my MIL and the girls and people thought she was the mom (I'm guessing because of the whole misconception that only "older" women go through fertility treatments). I've also been referred to as the nanny!

Quadmama said...

Oh and @Suzy, my husband wanted to know if I punched her. I'm still not sure if he was joking ;)

Jen said...

My husband has a LOT of gray. When the kids were born someone asked him if he was their grandpa. He was with my mom and they though they were married. Eeeeeck...talk about a blow to your ego. He was born in 1974.

Quadmama said...

Hubby has a lot of gray and no one has ever asked him if he was anything but their father. Something tells me he wouldn't be polite if they did!

Holly G said...

That's crazy! Although, I'm not sure I wouldn't rather have a comment like that than get carded at R-rated movies. Ugh. I'm 28, but I look 12. It's so damn annoying.

Stephanie said...

When I was about 20 I was a nanny to a 1 year old boy- mom was either 36 or 37. When we went places together people thought we were Grandma, mom and child. I mean, I guess if she had been a teen mom and I was a teen mom... but no. So rude! I would always assume anyone under 50 was mom.

Also, I have to agree with Holly Ann- I am also 28 and people tend to think I'm about 20. Although I think toting around a set of baby twins helps.

Renae said...

Jeepers creepers! Who asks that question?

What did she say when you told her you were the girls' mother. I hope she was truly embarrassed and sorry for her foolish question.

Post a Comment