What question do you hate to be asked? Why?
Explanations always get us in trouble. I have tried this many times, the more I tried to explain things to people, the more they got suspicious about my choices in life and tried to dig deeper. And in India, where you might get the nosiest of the nosy neighbours and relatives, it is hard to keep your privacy. Everyone is so “concerned” about you, they forget to look at their own lives. This is one of the things I dislike in people more than anything else.
There were so many questions I hated, but lately it has been only one. And it drives me crazy. I do not even try to explain myself anymore. A lot of people are smart enough to hide it behind other questions. How are you? Are you married? When did you get married? Do you have any children? And then the question I hate being asked. When are you planning to have children?
In India, this situation might be worse than other countries. The customs and rituals around wedding itself are indicative of what is expected ’out’ of you. Right from the time of engagement, there are rituals in which someone’s baby or a baby-like toy is kept in the to-be-bride’s lap and everyone from to-be-groom’s side blesses the pair for a boy. And from that moment on when you meet someone and greet them, they respond by saying things like – Bless you with a son, Give good news soon, Have a healthy child (mostly specific - boy), bless you to experience motherhood soon. The look in their eyes is especially disgusting. It starts as early as your first night and I am not exaggerating.
I have met plenty of married women and most of them have children. These are the women who want to know when I am having children. Ironically these are also the women who always complain about how they cannot do things because of their children, how lucky I am to have time to do things I want to do, blah blah blah. I hate it because it is a very personal choice. The clear answer is that I do not want to be like them. I want to have my child when I am ready and then welcome him/her to the world and take care of him/her. I do not want to have a child just because I have been married for a certain amount of time or the “society” expects me to have a child. I want to be like my mother who treats her children like rays of sunshine and not like a burden who she has to attend to for the rest of her life. However with due respect to other’s choice, I do not think there is anything wrong with doing this, my only point is that it is not for me, certainly not for everyone.
I do not hate these questions just because of my experience, I have seen many other women who feel the same way about this utterly private choice in life. I can only hope I do not become one of ‘those women’ when I finally have a child.
What are your most dreaded questions?
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Very well Said… The same thing is happening with me these days
Its really hard to answer this ques about when r u planning for a child… Why is not happening… n all…. We cann’t make them understand… And anybody is having one child then the ques will be when u r planning for another child ?
Those questions are really quite personal even though I think often people don’t realize it.
Apparently they don’t. But sometimes I wonder if they do it on purpose.
Well said Shruit. I am sure that day is not far behind after the day of the first delivery.
just checked out your blog. Looks like we started around the same time. Following you to see your journey. All the best. Thanks for stopping by.
Thanks to u too…
I agree with your statement about those who have something, complaining about the obligations that come with it. Having children can be a chore or a blessing, it all depends on your point of view.
ugh, Europe is not better at this either. in my previous marriage, questions abt a baby raised from the first weeks of marriage up until I decided to tell ppl we separated; in my current marriage, we’ve been married 6 months and acquaintances already ask abt a baby. no, we don’t want one yet. i am in the middle of a major training program at work, i don’t want to lose my job or give up what i like and my husband things exactly the same; sometimes i just wish ppl would have manners…
I completely agree with you. Everyone has to make their choice according to their circumstances and no outsider has the right to stand and judge.
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