Strangely enough, moms with lots of kids hear that quite frequently (yes, even yours truly once upon a time, when rounding my age to the nearest hundred meant going down and not up). For some reason, our culture has sometimes pushed the myth that having kids turns you into an old frump. But science says otherwise. (Not that moms needed confirmation of what we already knew.)
Pa and Ma Kettle, a Hollywood stereotype.
Ha! I wrote a column years ago about this (sans scientific study), listing "have lots of Kids" as "Best Beauty tip" My theory was that when you tell strangers you have X huge number of kids, it's the contrast between the way Mom looks and their sterotyped mental image of Moms-of-many, i.e., Ma Kettle. (Or as I put it, "a gap-toothed hillbilly in a faded cotton dress") This is what makes them choke on their hor d'ouevre and gasp, "But, but...you look fabulous." But I'm sure the longer telomeres don't hurt. I love that dumb apologia about Moms in a third world country looking younger despite large families because of having lots of support. As if the lives Guatamalan villagers live are easier than those of North Americans women. Sheesh!
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