A stranger at the park asked if my 'real' kids were with their dad

I was pushing my daughter on the swing in Madison last week when another mom asked if my 'real' kids were home with their dad. I told her my daughter is my real kid, but I also have a son I placed for adoption 8 years ago. She just said 'oh' and walked away fast. That word 'real' cut deep, you know? Has anyone else had someone say something like that to your face?

3 comments

3 Comments

derekcarr2mo ago

Ugh, that's so rough. What do you even say to someone after a comment like that?

sandra2032mo ago

Honestly, why do people think it's okay to ask questions like that? Tbh, all your kids are real, no matter where they live or how they came to your family. That stranger was way out of line and probably knew it when she walked off. I'm sorry you had to deal with that.

valgibson13d ago

Hang on, is it really that cut and dry? I mean yeah, the stranger was nosy and rude for sure, but I kinda get why someone might ask about bio vs adopted kids. It's not always about being mean. Some people are just curious about how families work, especially if they've never been around adoption. The way she walked off still makes her the asshole though, no excuse for that. But I dunno, I think there's a difference between a rude question and someone genuinely trying to understand.