What not to say

I published a post on the subject of "what never to say to your childless friends," when I first started this blog.  Well, I feel vindicated! MSN posted on this subject too and I wasn't far off from what they thought.  So to all my child-free friends, weather by choice or other, I vow to try and avoid these subjects at all costs.  You are valuable to me.

Holy Cow Moment ?:  We are all chasing off our friends by being in the "mommy club" and forgetting what it was like to be on the outside.  Don't forget you don't know if someone is childless by choice or because of medical reasons.  You don't know how significant the choice is either. So as a mom (or dad) vow to remember that if we want to keep all our friends, we will think before we go off into "mommy" mode.

I try and remember what it was like when I did not have children and a few things that a friend did or said that made me realize that she might not be as good of a friend as I had thought.  It hurt deeply and made me feel as if I were a complete moron or that there was something wrong with me.

So to all of my "Families of 1 or 2", and I don't agree that dogs can't be your kids so throw them in also, if i ever hurt you please tell me because I love you dearly. but sometimes I might forget.

Click to see:
MSN's top 10 things not to say if you value your friends without kids
I think the number one thing that hurt the worst was the below.  Granted I will admit I did not fully understand some things, I can now say that, but no I am not from another planet and I was not as clueless as my friend and or friends assumed me to be by their statement.  Now that I have been on both sides of the fence I can speak freely.   

2. "You'll understand when you're a mom."

Sure, motherhood can change your perspective on many subjects, from discipline to healthy eating. But childless women don't come from another universe, says Laura Carroll, childfree blogger and author of Families of Two. "It's a myth that the childless don't know anything about parenting," she says. "They were once children themselves, they may have nieces and nephews or they may work with kids." Instead of subtly putting her down, show genuine interest and curiosity about your friend's opinions on parenting topics, says Carroll. She may surprise you with a fresh and effective approach.