Parents and social life

[PatriceA]

I’m not talking about adult children and their parents, I’m talking about parents with young children and the needs young children have and how a parent can meet those needs.

I think though you have to be careful about lumping every mother that has ever said their kids are driving them crazy and they can’t wait to spend some time apart from them. I know I have said it myself that I couldn’t wait until Christmas break was over, or at the end of summer, for school to begin again. And my parenting approach probably is also considered the “odd ball” out of most of my daughter’s friends and schoolmates, because I am a pro-active parent. But there were and are times that I realize, she and I need a break from each other and I too have said what other parents have said to you, without it meaning I can’t stand to be around my child.

 

[gmarie21]

I think though you have to be careful about lumping every mother that has ever said their kids are driving them crazy and they can’t wait to spend some time apart from them. I know I have said it myself that I couldn’t wait until Christmas break was over, or at the end of summer, for school to begin again. And my parenting approach probably is also considered the “odd ball” out of most of my daughter’s friends and schoolmates, because I am a pro-active parent. But there were and are times that I realize, she and I need a break from each other and I too have said what other parents have said to you, without it meaning I can’t stand to be around my child.

Oh, I know that (heck, I drive myself crazy a lot ). These parents aren’t pro-active. They actually complain not just about their kids, but their parents, their jobs, their spouses, you name it. It’s sad and embarrassing and I just wonder if they realize how they sound? I have known great parents too, but the less-involved parents have been getting under my skin lately. I am trying to learn and not judge, really, I am. And I’m trying to sympathize, but at the same time they have no problem demanding things from my mom and I when it comes to their child(ren) and forget to factor in that their child(ren) aren’t the only ones we watch and so, no, we can’t let your child run around during meals (for example). And at family parties, because I’m the one who works with kids all day, for some reason, most of the time I"m the one who’s left to watch my relatives’ kids by default (probably b/c I’m the only one who is outside with my kids to keep an eye on them while the others just send the kids out while they all stay inside). Can you tell, I have some trust issues ?

 

[PatriceA]

Oh, I know that (heck, I drive myself crazy a lot ). These parents aren’t pro-active. They actually complain not just about their kids, but their parents, their jobs, their spouses, you name it. It’s sad and embarrassing and I just wonder if they realize how they sound? I have known great parents too, but the less-involved parents have been getting under my skin lately. I am trying to learn and not judge, really, I am. And I’m trying to sympathize, but at the same time they have no problem demanding things from my mom and I when it comes to their child(ren) and forget to factor in that their child(ren) aren’t the only ones we watch and so, no, we can’t let your child run around during meals (for example). And at family parties, because I’m the one who works with kids all day, for some reason, most of the time I"m the one who’s left to watch my relatives’ kids by default (probably b/c I’m the only one who is outside with my kids to keep an eye on them while the others just send the kids out while they all stay inside). Can you tell, I have some trust issues ?

I don’t know if that is so much of a trust issue for you, rather people just being plain inconsiderate issue for them.

And I do know they type you are talking about, and sometimes I think its more of a personality issue with some women rather than a parenting issue. When my husband was active duty in the Army and we had the wives’ coffee, there would always be that group that just complained, complained, complained about being married. That just seemed to be the thing they did to start a conversation. I think if they can get enough people to be miserable, it somehow made them feel better or something.

Makes you wonder though how those kids are feeling about themselves when they are overhearing what a burden they are.

 

[EasterJoy]

Makes you wonder though how those kids are feeling about themselves when they are overhearing what a burden they are.

I could not believe the number of total strangers who would walk up to me when I was pushing a double stroller with a pair of perfectly happy twins in it, and say things like, “Wow. I’m glad it is you and not me!”

I would always counter with, “Oh, no. I’m a Lucky Mom.” Or to “double trouble!”, I would always say, “No… four times the fun!!” And I would go on to say what great boys they were.

I felt so good the day I was driving our kids somewhere and we saw this woman crossing in the crosswalk. She was pushing a stroller and had three other kids under five years old with her. One of my boys saw her and said, "Look at all those kids! Wow, that is a *really *lucky mom!!

 

[gmarie21]

i could not believe the number of total strangers who would walk up to me when i was pushing a double stroller with a pair of perfectly happy twins in it, and say things like, “wow. I’m glad it is you and not me!”

I would always counter with, “oh, no. I’m a lucky mom.” or to “double trouble!”, i would always say, “no… Four times the fun!!” and i would go on to say what great boys they were.

I felt so good the day i was driving our kids somewhere and we saw this woman crossing in the crosswalk. She was pushing a stroller and had three other kids under five years old with her. One of my boys saw her and said, "look at all those kids! Wow, that is a *really *lucky mom!!

awesome!!!