Strangers were kind to me as a new mum in often unexpected ways

Photo by Ostap Senyuk on Unsplash

There are two things that you need to know about my kids when they were little babies:

1. They were exceedingly grumpy (luckily, they grew out of their grumps and are much more pleasant to be around these days).
2. They were suffering from severe cabin fever, most likely inherited from me.

A combination of these factors meant that I spent A LOT of time outside my house with babies who habitually screamed the house down. Any house. And also any cafe, library, park, shopping center — you name it. For a good few months my entrance into anywhere was announced by loud wailing before I even made it to the door.

However, I was never terribly self-conscious about this, and I think I have the kindness of strangers to thank for it.

While I can remember 2–3 instances when strangers were unhelpful and said things that were less than kind, that small number is dwarfed by the number of times that strangers extended generosity and kindness to my babies and me.

So, without further ado, here is a heartfelt thank you to:

• A man who offered to get on the floor to fish out my baby’s dummy from under the tables in a cafe.
• All the kind people on various planes who, after learning they will be sitting next to a grumpy baby for the next 2–14 hours, didn’t roll their eyes but greeted us with a warm hello, question about babies' names/ages and sometimes even a few rounds of peekaboo with them.
• An older gentleman who offered to hold my baby at the news agent’s so I can browse the magazine rack in peace for 3 minutes.
• A lady who held my wailing baby for 10 mins while I ate my breakfast at a cafe. She commented that she never got to eat her food hot when she had babies, so she wanted to make sure I don’t miss out in the same way.
• Numerous people who offered words of encouragement while passing me on the street/in a shopping centre. Over the years I got so many variations of “You are doing a fantastic job” and “It does get easier, I promise”, making me feel understood and welcome, despite the wailing.

New mums are fragile beings, and I have unfortunately met so many that are reluctant to leave the house out of fear that their babies will be seen as an annoyance if they make a fuss. I was so fortunate to be convinced otherwise by so many.

Now that I know just how much patience, energy and courage is required to take your new baby into a public place, I will make sure to pass it forward and be a cheerleader and helper to many new mums I come across!