I love reading the sassy retorts to this question. But I've never used them because I think most people are simply curious and not trying to offend in any way.
I know I was just a whole lot more shy about this stuff in our early married years and HATED that question "When are you starting your family?" That to me is worse than when someone now asks me if I'm having more children. (I would also hope people would be more careful in asking childless couples about their intentions because you never know when you are turning a knife in a wound regarding infertility).
I think a much more offensive question/comment is when people INFER that you aren't/shouldn't have more children:
"You must be glad to be finished."
"So you're done now, eh?"
"Well, now you've got your boy" (2 girls, then a boy)
Equally offensive: when people assume that because we had twins most recently (kids #4 and #5) that we really only wanted 4 kids and got stuck with an extra one. Although one really shouldn't care what the schmoe on the street thinks, I always wished that if I ever had twins, they would be earlier in the family so that the after-coming siblings would evidence that we really DID want that many children.
I know I was just a whole lot more shy about this stuff in our early married years and HATED that question "When are you starting your family?" That to me is worse than when someone now asks me if I'm having more children. (I would also hope people would be more careful in asking childless couples about their intentions because you never know when you are turning a knife in a wound regarding infertility).
I think a much more offensive question/comment is when people INFER that you aren't/shouldn't have more children:
"You must be glad to be finished."
"So you're done now, eh?"
"Well, now you've got your boy" (2 girls, then a boy)
Equally offensive: when people assume that because we had twins most recently (kids #4 and #5) that we really only wanted 4 kids and got stuck with an extra one. Although one really shouldn't care what the schmoe on the street thinks, I always wished that if I ever had twins, they would be earlier in the family so that the after-coming siblings would evidence that we really DID want that many children.
