Assumptions people make who teach NFP

There is this assumption that because I teach NFP, I am less than trilled when people, particularly my former students, are expecting another baby. Nothing could be further from the truth! It actually upsets me quite a bit that people would think I would be disappointed they are expecting. Usually when a student tells me they are pregnant, I am delighted, to me, it means I did my job. 

What? You ask, doesn't NFP prevent pregnancies? Well, yes, it does, but it also, and more importantly teaches an openness and generosity to life. So when I hear a student is expecting again, I know they really get it. That does not mean those who do not have more kids do not get it, after all there are a number of just reasons that they may not be having more children, but it is so easy to rejoice that a little baby is going to be joining a loving family! 

Another assumption about NFP teachers is that if we have huge families, we mustn't know how to use NFP. See the above explanation to understand this one. The opposite is also assumed, that if we have smaller families, we are not open to life or must be infertile. Ouch, this one hurts the most. I have only 3 kids. Notice how I say only, because my realm is filled with super-sized families, so three kids is out of the norm. Please do not get me wrong, I love the huge families, but variety is the spice of life. Our small family is no less a blessing and we are not less open to life, God has a different plan for us. As for the status of a woman's fertility, I hate to sound like a Feminist, but a woman's fertility is between her and God, and her husband and maybe her Doctor, but not every member of her home school group or her parish. 

So Congrats to all my expecting students, and hang in there to those who are judged and criticised for not having more children. We are all serving God, in different ways.