Men and size.

They are either proud of it or ashamed of it.

Size of what?

Their family.

And, no, family is not a code word for anything.

Men and their family size.

They are either satisfied and grateful for it or displeased and embarrassed by it.

Guess what?

So are us women.

It seems that the world is full of the following:

Women that have no children and are perfectly happy.

Women that have no children (for whatever reason that might be) and are despondent about it.

Women that have one child and one is plenty for them.

Women that have one child and feel the ever-present judgment from onlookers about not giving their child a sibling.

Women that have two children; a boy and a girl — oh, how perfect for them — they hit the jackpot, right?

Women that have three or more children and are either looked upon as “crazy” or “brave.”

Women that have children but are unmarried or divorced.

Women that have an ever-changing number of children because they so selflessly open their home to those in need of one.

I’m not sure where this sentiment came from that couples need to be embarrassed at the size of their family. And yes, you are very much still considered “a family” even if your family only consists of you and your partner.

As a mother of three, I am often told by strangers that I am “brave” and described as “superwoman.” As a mother of three, I am often silently whispered about from those who wonder why I “had so many children” especially if I can’t always “control” them.

No one has the right to judge your family size.

No one has the right to judge how you choose to spend your life.

No one has the right to judge who you give your love, time, and energy to.

No one has the right to judge you and your partner for the decisions you are making to grow or merely maintain the family you have at present and in the future.

And, absolutely yes, you are still a “family” even if you are JUST YOU; w here any of us get off thinking that we are owed an explanation for anyone else’s life choices is beyond me.

Your life is your own, and if you are in a relationship or married, then your life is your own with your significant other.

What the hell I think of the size of your family doesn’t matter one damn bit, so don’t you ever let yourself feel embarrassed by it.

You know who should feel embarrassed? The people in this world who are exercising ridiculous and ignorant judgment upon others that simply do what makes them happy and are living a life with only that in mind.

Don’t be ashamed of the size of your family, and if someone is going to attempt to make you feel bad about it, be ashamed of the tiny size of their brain and their closed mind, as that is something surely worth being ashamed about.