Wishing Every Woman You See Happy Mother's Day:Just Another Crazy Baltimore Thing...

[badstar]

...or did I simply manage to miss this anywhere else...

But what is it with random strangers wishing EVERY woman they come across happy mother's day? Not only that but belated happy mother's day? This seems to come largely from men but not entirely. I've only ever encountered this in Baltimore.

I was waiting for the bus home for damn near twenty minutes and I am not kidding when I say that seven people passing by me wished me happy belated mother's day- six of them men.

Two days after the fact.

Okay, so you know...on Sunday, I get that they're trying to be nice and all, but for serious, I'd really rather not it be assumed that I'm a mother because I happen to be a female who looks like she's old enough to have at least one running around. (Or assumed that I'm a future mother as I've been informed that I am when the first few times I ever encountered this phenomena, taken by surprise, I said "thank you but I'm not a mother", I was informed by complete strangers with no uncertainty that I would be someday and they are wishing me happy mother's day for the future.)

But two days later? Okay...belated happy mothers day is what you wish your own mother or those close to you if for some reason you were unable to do so on mother's day proper. Not every stranger you pass on the street just in case she happens to be a mother.

I wonder, if I were to go around wishing every guy I encountered a happy father's day when it comes around, how many of them would be all "Nope, not a father! No kids for me, can't tie me down like that!"

Comments

[falnfenix]

i had that happen on Sunday.

on a normal day, i look 18 - at best. yes, i'm MOST DEFINITELY a mother.





**shudders**

[leiacat.livejournal.com]

*shudder* Seems the same category of obnoxious strangers who tell random women to smile. But so many in one place...

[unprotoize.livejournal.com]

*sigh* I miss Baltimore.

[sharkycharming.livejournal.com]

Definitely. I run into those "smile" idiots all the time, and they are the same people.

The only time this has ever worked in my [child-free] favor is 2 years ago when I accidentally went to the Austin Grill on Mother's Day and they were giving every woman of child-bearing age a coupon for a free dessert or drink on her next visit.

ich

[liritsvoice.livejournal.com]

"I would be someday and they are wishing me happy mother's day for the future"

Of course, because ALL women want that. AHHHH!!!!!!!!!! Can I castrate everyone yet????

I was wishing lots of people happy mother's day, men and women, over the weekend because I figured a lot of my friends are going to be spending a lovely time hanging out with their moms. It's a happy day for all involved, if they get along with their moms.

[mydruid.livejournal.com]

Happy Mother's Day...you do have a child...his name is Fararri (sp)...Even kitty's count as far as I'm concerned..hehehehehe

ITA

[purplelover13.livejournal.com]

I mean, I AM a mother, and it doesn't make sense to me. Why would you wish someone a Happy Mother's Day unless they are your mother or step-mother, or even, grandmother, although there is Grandparent's Day for that now...

And I got irked because people were wishing me a Happy Mother's Day and they aren't my child. I mean, WHY? It doesn't make sense to me.

But then again, apparently I'm the weirdo. I actually got into a disagreement with someone about this and she decided to end our friendship over it. I'm still reeling from that. And she's a Brother too...

How odd.

[caelesti.livejournal.com]

That's really strange- I'll chalk it up to people making clueless attempts to be nice. I haven't encountered that and I'm 26- certainly old enough to have kids. I suspect there is a double standard about not saying Happy Father's Day to men. Some people to do wish it to mothers who aren't their relative though, esp. friends, co-workers etc.

[pinkpolarity.livejournal.com]

Would I be weird if I found this custom more than a little offensive?

[fuego.livejournal.com]

I don't think it would be terribly out of line.

I get pretty irritated with the whole thing assuming motherhood upon every female of childbearing age. I have an active desire to not have kids, I have never really wanted to have kids (when I was five years old and knew no better doesn't count)

Re: ITA

[corpslave.livejournal.com]

In addition to sending cards for mine and Fuzzy's mother and grandmother, I send a mother's day card to my sister-in-law and hand deliver one to my neighbor who has a son. I even wished my therapist a happy mother's day for being like a mother to me with all the crap going on in my life lately.

My sister-in-law actually takes offense at the fact that our evil mother-in-law has not acknowledged her on mother's day ever, and her oldest son will be 4 this summer. She decided this year that she will no longer sign evil mother-in-law's card, only Fuzzy's brother will sign it.

[shapeshft.livejournal.com]

That happened to me, too, here in Binghamton. For three days before Mother's Day itself, I was wished Happy Mother's Day. I'm sure the people doing it meant well, but I thought it was perplexing and somewhat annoying, personally.

[shapeshft.livejournal.com]

I don't think that's weird, no.