generalparenting

As a single parent I have discovered it’s hard to make friends if the friend doesn’t have kids of their own. I lost a lot of friends when I first had kids not because they were bad people or anything but because they didn’t have children of their own and priorities were different. If they had plans with me to go out that they may have bought tickets for or made reservations for months earlier and I had to cancel because my child came home with a wicked case of the chicken pox they would usually be understanding but when it happens often they tend to give up. Again, not because they are bad people or anything, just simply because people in general don’t want “their” time and value to be tested or disregarded. Having friends with kids can make life more understanding however there are still little glitches to it such as What happens if your children get into a fight? or What if you have different parenting styles? Better yet, What if you think their child is a brat? I know no parent is perfect and there are going to be differences in all of these area’s but you have to admit it can make having friends as a parent, at least of young kids, difficult. Finding your social life may be a bit more work but well worth it when you find the friend that is understanding and you can relate to again. Now that my kids are older it’s easier to have friends that are not parents but when they were younger I needed those other parents as friends so that I had someone to relate to and understand me. As my kids get older I am refinding myself and am managing relationships that don’t revolve around the kids but it still seems that the most important relationships in my life at the very least involve them. My kids are after all my first and foremost treasures in this world and to make me happy they have to be happy.

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