Parents, Is it too much? Rant... Kinda... Update post #29

[kelseygirl707]

UGH, I am soo annoyed right now! So DH an I have moved a lot in the last year, but we are finally settled, and we want chickens again. But I'm getting really tired of people telling me that because I am 6 months pregnant, I shouldn't have chickens, that I will be too busy to keep up with them once the baby is here. My MIL just told me I won't have time for chickens once the baby is here, I told her that there are people here on BYC that have chickens at the same time as having a baby/Family, why does she assume I can't handle it? Yah for about 2 weeks after the baby is born I will need help from DH to care for the chickens, but then I will be back and ready to go. She just gave me a condescending laugh, and said you just wait. I then said why can't I put the baby in a carrier or in his bouncer next to me while I tend to the chickens? Then her mother (Dh's Grandmother) chimes in with "well what are you gonna do when the baby starts crying?" Um the same thing I would do if he started crying while I'm doing the dishes, tend to him, then go back to what I was doing, Then she says "what are you going to do if you need to nurse him?", Well I'm gonna nurse him, HECK they even have carries that make it so you can nurse hands free, it's not like 54 years ago, the last time you had a baby! I'm getting really annoyed at people who think liking chickens is Dumb, I don't make her feel stupid for loving her Horses.

So tell me, am I stupid for thinking I can have a baby and maybe 10 chickens at the same time?

 

[WriterofWords]

Just smile condescendingly back at them and say "Don't worry, mothers these days are much better at multi-tasking than you were, I can handle it a little better than you might have back in the day."

 

[TinkleTurkey]

That's so annoying! Chickens don't really take that much time out of your daily routine. Some days you'll spend more time with them, cleaning their cage or just hanging out giving them treats, but as far as daily feeding/watering and all that..

I raised a baby all by myself no husband or grandparents, worked a full time job, and still managed to pursue other interests (with baby in tow)
You get creative. How do you think primitive peoples did it? They didn't just stop everything to raise their young.

Also, like you said doing the dishes - what else can't you do??? Take a shower? Exercise? Sleep?! Ridiculous. I'd say just give granny a polite response but do what you want anyway.

 

[kelseygirl707]

My only reason for holding my toungue is that I can't have chickens at my house, but I work 12 hours a day 7am-7pm taking care of DH's Grandmother, and she lives on my Inlaws property which is a 110 acre ranch. So if I have Chickens, they will be kept here at the ranch. And My MIL keeps saying she doesn't have a problem with me having them here, but when it comes down to me actually getting started, she starts this stuff, and just makes me feel like dirt.

 

[kelseygirl707]

DH told me he wants me to look at a new place that has property, where we can have chickens, cut the MIL out completley.

 

[TinkleTurkey]

Thats a shame. You're only 6 months pregnant, and she's already doubting your ability to make decisions as a parent. Sounds like its going to be ROUGH!

I agree that looking into a new place is probably a good idea.

 

[Michele_Lynd]

No u are not ,I'm a mother of 5 kids and when they were little I had a baby carrier for the baby while I raised goats, sheep CHICKENS, rabbits and dogs,cats ,6 acres of fruit trees and a garden that feed us for a yr, 3 of my kids were toddlers at this time Now I'll admit it was a lot of work and I did not work out side the home but I was able to do it, ur just asking to have chickens I say go for it and ignore the rest U know what ur limits are not them

 

[aubreynoramarie]

Quote:
Sounds like you have one of those rare husbands who stick up for their wife overr their mother. What a nice guy and good for you! I say just do as you please!

 

[Teach97]

I say tell them it is so terrible and you will be so busy that they shouldn't expect you to be able to talk to them or anything like that...maybe you could tell them that they should go ahead and plan on doing your dishes and laundry...can they cook? They should probably do that for you as well...

then look them right in the eye and tell them to take a long walk on a short pier...or anything that comes to mind that isn't real nice...then giggle and say oops must be the hormones and skip away...well...as close to skipping as you can get...that wasn't nice...but heck...I meant it with love! I feel for ya...my in-laws are great. My wife on the other hand got hosed...

 

[keesmom]

What does she think women did 100+ years ago? Not only did they have to watch a new baby, they had chickens and other livestock to care for, plus all the cooking, cleaning, sewing, raising older siblings, farming and preserving the harvest for a long winter.

BTW, when I was 38 weeks along I had to crawl under a shed to retrieve an errant hen who tried to make herself an easy target one night. My son turned out just fine! He's now a chicken lover too.