You just never know what will push some people’s buttons. In my rather innocuous (I thought anyway) column about potty-training, a reader called me not just lazy, but a lazy SOW (scroll to the bottom of the column to read the rant against my lazy…sow-i-ness). I have to say, that is the first time I have been compared to livestock. At least, in the context of one of my columns.
Writers, have you ever gotten a really nasty comment from a reader (or maybe editor?) in response to something you’ve published or submitted? If so, how did you respond?
It can be really hard not to lash back, but I’ve found when a complaint is as nonsensical and ranty as this one is, it makes more sense to simply consider the source and move on. And there’s a bright side…Toni has promised to have a T-shirt printed that says “LAZY SOW” on it, just for me.
Wow…I read the comment….all I can say it they OBVIOUSLY have never raised their own children or gone through potty training to have this opinion!
You are a smart mom for recognizing when your child is ready. My 4 year old son just got potty trained completely at 4 years 5 months…so Im right there with ya! …and yes, my 2 year 3 month old daughter hasn’t starting potty training at all yet either
Heh, thanks Melissa! A friend of mine (hi Micki!) says that potty training can either take a week when they’re ready, or a year when they’re not. Either way it ends right around the same time.
Recently I was accused by a regular reader who enjoys critiquing my columns of raising “overly rewarded” children and encouraging “pridefulness” instead of selflessness in a column about giving out little awards to kids in special situations. Granted, it’s no “lazy sow,” but it did miss the point nicely.