By Donna Hruska

Listen to Donna narrate this story!

Obviously, some people took the above Biblical admonition more seriously than others. Surprisingly, these brave souls sometimes have more to endure from their friends than from their off-spring.

For example, every mother of a large family has had the experience of being used, perhaps unconsciously, by her hostess as a conversation piece. The usual procedure is to lead the mother into a crowded party and announce in a loud voice to the nearest by-stander,

“This is Susie Glotz. She has seven children.”

At this, all conversation in the room ceases while the guests turn to see what this odd creature looks like. If the mother hasn’t kept to her diet too well since the last arrival, or if she has had a particularly tiring day, she is liable to hear muttered comments among the guests to the effect that “she looks like it.” More likely, since modern mothers of all kinds are looking better than ever,

Those nearest her will gush, “You have seven children? I can’t believe it.” Modern miracles or not, most people have a mental image of the mother of a large family as being 1) fat, 2) flabby, and/or 3) exhausted. This comment is usually followed by a second, frequently from a suspicious mother of two, “You must have help.”

You see, another common misconception is that if a mother of many children is not 1) fat, 2) flabby or 3) exhausted, she is 4) Ethel Kennedy.

Such mothers are also accustomed to hearing, “I don’t know how you do it,” to which they are sometimes tempted to reply,

“I just do it. What choice have I got?”

Well-meaning neighbors are frequently reluctant to let their children play at the large family’s house giving the explanation,

“But you already have so much to do.” This makes the mother feel somewhat like a carrier of bubonic plague. At the other extreme is the neighbor who lets her child practically live at the large family’s house on the theory that “they’ll never notice one more.”

Then there is the little neighbor girl who confides to the mother of six, “Mama says she just doesn’t know where you put all these people in this little house.” Since the parents in question have probably struggled to get the “little” house while still keeping twelve growing feet shod, this remark is not likely to endear “Mama” to them.

When our well-blessed mother is on the program committee of her local woman’s club, what program is she put in charge of? You guessed it. The one on children. Everyone thinks that she not only knows about nothing else, but would rather talk about children than any other subject.

The classic indignity, however, was endured by a certain mother of eleven children who confided this recent experience.

The dishwasher repairman seemed to be having difficulty in completing his repair job. He kept muttering excuses about extra parts only to return a day later, each time with a different assistant. Finally, the mother grew suspicious and concealed herself outside the kitchen door to listen.

“Look at the size of that table,” she heard the assistant say.

“That’s nothing,” replied his more experienced friend. “Wait till you see them pour through the door when school is out. It’s like an invasion.

“You see,” the mother laughed as she told her story. “We not only have more children than anyone else—we also have the funniest stories.”

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Donna Hruska
2711 2nd Private Road
Flossmoor, Illinois

Approximately 550 Words

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