Unwarranted advice

It's cold in Calgary today. And when I say cold, I only mean it's the kind of cold that we complain about and bundle up for in the fall. When we get days with this temperature after the winter, you'll see people wearing shorts. In other words, it was about 5 degrees with a fairly nasty wind.

Now, I have a toddler that goes crazy if he doesn't get to spend time outside. I also had to make a trip to the post office. I figured it would be fine to walk, so I stuck Spud in the stroller and Sweetpea in my wrap and embarked on the approximately 20 minute walk. (While I could have let Spud walk, that would have made it into an hour long walk.)

As I am nearing my destination, the wind picks up and a little bit of rain (snow?) starts to fall.

I pass a man who is walking with a (around) 9 year old boy. (Who, I might add, only has a light jacket, and no hat).

He looks at me and says "what are you doing out here in this weather?" to which I cheerfully respond, "it's good for all of us to get outside." He looks at me with a scornful look and tells me "you have a little one. She's too young to be out in this weather." Now, I am trying very hard to stay polite. I give a little laugh and tell him that she's only too young if she isn't dressed for it.

I mean, this is Calgary. We're in Canada, buddy. Do you expect to have palm trees and drink margaritas by the pool year round? The weather is going to drop to MINUS 30 at some point. Quite frankly, I am not prepared to spend half the year inside simply because the mercury goes below 10.

Sweetpea was bundled up better then anyone. She was in the wrap, which puts her right against all my body heat. My coat was done up over top of her. The only part of her protruding (and the only reason he could even tell there was a baby girl there) is her head. That head was covered in a warm, cozy fleece hat.

And hello? Hypocrite? His son (or child in his care) was very ill prepared for the weather.

I could have told him all this, but I didn't. Since I having my children, I am learning that there are times you just have to keep your mouth shut. Smile and nod. Smile and nod...

Why is it that perfect strangers feel the need to give advice to you simply because you have children?

And just for the record, here's a couple pictures of the (very cute) hat that Sweetpea had on.