By Kathleen Guthrie
I thought it was some kind of spoof. While watching our San Francisco Giants lose to the San Diego Padres, we caught a vague ad about a “World Championship Baby!” Huh?
I went online the next morning to learn more and discovered that, yes indeed, there is a contest to recognize a baby who was conceived around 7:54 pm on November 1, when the Giants beat the Rangers to clinch last year’s World Series. The winning baby, expected to arrive on August 1, will receive a named brick at AT&T Park, a gift card for $2,010, and an “official certificate signed by the Giants.” Meanwhile, fans can browse an online gallery of moms-to-be and their ultrasound images.
This whole thing makes my skin crawl. Maybe I’m envious and oversensitive. I can’t say, however, that I’ll feel any better if the geniuses in marketing try to make it up to me by having a “Childfree Women Free!” Day next season.
Kathleen Guthrie is a Northern California–based freelance writer. Kinder-soccer is still her favorite spectator sport.
This actually made me laugh a little. This year for Mother’s Day. I wanted to post “Happy Contraceptive Awareness Day!” on my Facebook, but 90% of my friends are mothers and about 25% of them are new mothers and didn’t want to start a fight. Though I don’t know how saying something like that would be considered insensitive, when I keep getting invited to Baby Showers and are told, “Oh, it will happen for you too sweetie.” Did enjoy the post though.
My first post. Thank you for allowing me to join. I’m 35, married 13 years now. No kids or pregnancies.
The world is so child-centered, isn’t it? It can sometimes make me feel like some kind of pariah. Society’s obsession with motherhood can really sting a childless woman like me. I try to remember I may be overly sensitive too, like Kathleen mentioned, but it’s rough indeed.
I know what you mean about the Facebook thing too, Maria. I’m afraid my friends will see me as being bitter about having infertility (sometimes I am), and I don’t want to ruffle feathers. Maybe some day I’ll gather up enough courage to be more outspoken by it.
I am glad someone understands Jenny. This was my first post too. I stumbled onto the blog not too long ago and it just sort of fit what I was going through.
I’ve been told I am bitter and just plain jealous that my “friends” have children and I do not. Perhaps at the moment I was, but I wonder how some of my friends would feel if I wasn’t supportive when they had their first, second or third child. How it would feel if I wasn’t the friend who was all smiles and made sure they had the most amazing baby shower and gifts, all while dieing inside. The hurt gets less and less, but still I wish they just knew.
Glad to have you in the discussion, Jenny! Welcome! I think you’ll find lots of encouragement in the posts and comments on this site. It’s an amazing community, and we are definitely learning how to speak up.