Kristen Pind is speechless

It seems like these days everyone has advice they want to offer up, even if it isn't solicited. When I was having trouble getting Cooper to sleep at night I had tons of advice to shovel through, and when I got my wisdom teeth out it seemed like everyone had something they wanted or needed to say on the matter.

Advice such as the above mentioned doesn't bother me too much. Yes, it is a little irritating, but my friends and family mean well. But can I say the same thing about advice from strangers? My mother always taught me that it is not my place to judge others; instead, we are to treat others as we would want to be treated. That's how I am today at age 26, just like I was at age 6, and it is how I expect others to treat me.

Unfortunately, that isn't how everyone else's mother brought him or her up. About a month ago I was at the grocery store with Cooper on a Saturday morning. On Saturdays I like to dress down, so I was wearing my favorite Redhawk sweats and Kansas City Chiefs sweatshirt, my comfortable go-to outfit. At my house we usually grocery shop together on Saturday night, but I needed a few items for a recipe I was making for dinner at a friend's house, so it was just me and Cooper.

As I was standing in the baking aisle, a woman around age 55 or 65 came up to me and told me what a beautiful baby boy I have. This is nothing new -- ever since Coop was born we have had strangers come up and tell us how gorgeous he is. I smiled politely and thanked her, just like my mother taught me. But our interaction didn't end there.

I guess I didn't listen closely enough the first time, because the woman then repeated herself, saying, "What a beautiful baby boy -- too bad you are teaching him the ways of the devil." I said "Excuse me?", thinking she was talking to someone else. But she continued by telling me that she was so tired of "us" teen moms just "shooting out" babies and making her and the other good taxpayers of this county pay for my groceries and health care. She proceeded to tell me that I was going to hell for having my baby out of wedlock.

I have to say, I stood there speechless -- and for those of you who know me, you know that's unusual for me. After I caught my breath and realized that she was not joking, but seriously talking to me, I informed her that although I was flattered, I was not a teen mom but age 26. I also told her I am happily married and we go to church on Sundays, and I showed her my wedding ring on my hand.

She just stared at me and said, "Oh, well you look very young," and walked away -- not an apology or even a look of embarrassment. I just stood there, shellshocked. Another lady in the aisle looked at me and shook her head.

A month later I am still trying to process the interaction. I can't believe that someone would say something like that. What bothers me the most is that this woman who didn't know me felt like it was her right to criticize me. The choices I make are my choices, and I feel like everyone should have that option -- not just those who are deemed to be living the "right life." As a mother, I make whatever choices I believe are right for my child, and I believe that every other mother, no matter how old, should be able to make those same choices without the worry of being judged.

Kristen Pind, a native of small-town Gower, Mo., came to Southeast Missouri State University with big dreams of being the next Katie Couric or Diane Sawyer. She never thought that at age 25, she'd be married with a baby and living in Cape Girardeau. Keep up with Kristen's adventures as a first-time mom -- one who's still a girl trying to figure out how her own life fits together. Turns out, she's living a dream she never knew she had, and loving every minute of it. Kristen invites moms of all types to find her "Baby Steps" page on Facebook.