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.
