...her exact words to myself and my mother were, "I only had this kid because my husband wanted one."
Ugh. I just shudder when I hear stuff like that.
To those who haven't experienced being the full time, primary caretaker of a child, it's really quite hard to explain how difficult the job is. Though judging from the comments here, I suspect many of you can guess well enough.
To say it's exhausting emotionally, mentally, and physically is way too much of an understatement.
One woman said it's like pulling your heart out of your chest and letting it run around, completely unprotected, and taking whatever hits come its way. That really only addresses 1/3 of the job though ~ the emotional aspect ~ so again...it's impossible to describe parenting and its demands.
So all that said, I feel a twinge of pain when I hear or read comments that equate having a child to...oh...buying a car. "He wanted one so I had it." You ultimately want the best and hope these are simply careless words said at a time when the mother or father is exhausted or at their wit's end, but you can't help but wonder if it betrays a true lack of respect for life in general.
(This post is what happens when one's children are sick and sleeping late, leaving one to philosophize about stuff and making one prone to typing long, boring observations on message boards.
Had today been our usual day, my reply would have been shortened to, "Dude, I hate when I hear people talk like that." )
