It’s April Fool’s Time…
Unfortunately, it’s that time of year for tasteless, inconsiderate jokes, along with the harmless ones. Today, I want to remind everyone what is a totally unacceptable joke, but seems to rear it’s ugly head every year-pregnancy.
April Fool’s Should Be Funny…
As long as you aren’t on the receiving end, in most cases. Brussels Sprouts disguised as cake pops. Saran-wrap in the bathroom doorway. Telling your husband you maxed out the credit card on Victoria’s Secret.
These jokes, as long as no one is actually hurt, are in essence, harmless.
Joking about Pregnancy? Totally different thing!
What’s the big deal?
If you have to ask, then I seriously hope you haven’t considered doing it.
Imagine you are a woman who has just lost her baby, at any point in her pregnancy. Or, maybe you’re having a really tough time trying to conceive. Or worse-you’re told you’ll never have a child.
You try not to let pregnancy announcements and updates on social media, by your friends, get you down. You congratulate on births with a hint of sadness in your voice. Maybe you don’t show how much not having a child affects you-maybe you’re strong and don’t even think of it much.
But then your friend decides, on April Fool’s Day, to announce she’s having a baby (and then waits after everyone comments their well wishes to spill the beans about the joke).
How do you feel?
Having children isn’t a joke…
It’s certainly not something a woman who has lost a child, or is struggling to conceive one, takes lightly. And reminding someone of their loss, isn’t funny.
Reminding a woman about her struggle, isn’t for laughs. There’s much better ways to fool your friends without using such a personal, and wonderful thing, like Pregnancy. A thing that many women would be more than ecstatic to announce – and it wouldn’t be as an April Fool’s prank.
“Well, I’m not responsible for how other people take things…”
Well, the thing is – everyone does have a personal responsibility as to how they converse with others. Now, normally you would never tell your friend who just suffered a miscarriage, that you were pregnant, if you didn’t mean it. Because that would remind her of things out of her control, make her feel terrible, and be in bad taste, right?
Why does April Fool’s Day, or even any kind of joking status update online, make it any different?
It doesn’t.
Just because you’re writing it online, instead of saying it personally – doesn’t mean a recipient isn’t going to be affected. It’s still wrong.
And even though you can’t control how people react to the things you do – you can control what you do. Fake pregnancy jokes really have no good outcome. Sure, maybe a few of your friends will laugh – but statistically, a few more will be hurt by it more than they’ll find it funny. Because 15 to 20 percent of all women with verified pregnancies, will have a miscarriage.
So why risk hurting someone over a bad joke?
Why is it “so funny” to joke about being pregnant? It isn’t! If you want totally tasteless, inconsiderate humor, stick to whoopie cushions and cupcakes filled with toothpaste.
But joking about being pregnant, even on April Fool’s Day, is just unacceptable.
And, the ultimate way to get blocked by this Mom, with one rainbow baby. But I seriously doubt my friends who will joke about this come April 1st, will care about my personal story, as long as those likes and comments come in.
Such a great point and something I’m sure many people don’t even think about. Thanks for sharing.
I appreciate the statistics on pregnancy loss. It is much more common then we’ve realized in the past. Thanks for sharing your perspective on why being sensitive to this topic is so important.
I hate April Fool’s day because it seems like every idiot seems to think their tasteless or cruel jokes are funny and acceptable. A few weeks ago I scrolled through the video feed on Facebook and a girl did exactly this to her boyfriend. He didn’t know that she was recording the conversation and his response was less than ecstatic. I couldn’t bear to see her reveal that it was all a bad joke.
Great point! I have a friend who has struggled to have a child and this would surely hurt her feelings.
I couldn’t agree more! Always a good idea to consider your audience. You never know what people may be going through.
Yes! As someone who is in the midst of infertility and will likely never have biological children, it hurts SO much when people take something so serious and turn it into a joke. It’s so hurtful and not really funny at all to pretend you have what so many people are longing for.
A very important reminder especially in today’s society.I never took part in April Fool’s anyway. Thanks for sharing!
Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes. I’ve never lost a child, but using pregnancy as an April Fools Joke is one way to guarantee I’ll block someone, too. It’s not funny and can be so painful for people. Sharing on Twitter.