No Kids Allowed

A friend turned me on to STFU, Parents. It's a blog about over sharing on Facebook. It has claimed countless minutes of my life while Riley napped, and inspired a few lively discussions between Mike and I.

For example, I fully admit to taking a picture of Isaac peeing into a river while we were camping a few years ago, but I did NOT post it to Facebook. And while I'm totally guilty of potty training related statuses, I've never stopped changing a diaper or helping a kid on the potty to take a picture and put it on Facebook. I'm totally guilty of "Mommy Jacking" (hijacking someone else's post to talk about my kids), but never on a status about someone dying. Sometimes it's hard to remember that even though your life revolves around the kids no one else's does. I guess most of us have made our fair share of missteps on the inter web social scene. Those of us who never learned in real life will always be inappropriate and attempt to make everything about them. A passive aggressive medium only makes the passive aggressive folks well...worse.

That's all to be expected, but what blew my mind was all the parents being demanding and judgmental. Looooong speeches on people's walls about how you don't count as a worthwhile human being until you have children. What the? Most of them are new parents, ummm...weren't you one of "those" people a few months ago? Jeepers. There are great people without kids and probably more to the point there are not so great people who are parents. I understand that the world changes completely when you have children and a good parent does deserve credit. You shouldn't have to put down others to get it. I do not think your loss of the single lifestyle means you should be nasty to those who haven't made that sacrifice.

The biggest thing these high and mighty parents say over and over that has always bothered me is that their children should always be invited and included in everything. One mom said every event should include her children and have snacks and activities! Whoa. Here's how it works you don't go to these things until you're okay leaving the kids with a sitter. That's all there is to it. Most of the time there is a very good reason kids aren't welcome somewhere. Safety, time of day, appropriateness of activity, etc. I have been on both sides of this issue. I have thrown adults only events and attended them without my children. As a parent I don't want to bring my children somewhere they haven't been invited. In the best case scenario the kids will be bored. I take it as a sign I need a few hours off and take them. If you can't be away from your kids for a few hours then stay home. That my friends is the sacrifice you're always harping about. The idea is to balance the family friendly stuff with the stuff that isn't, not to demand everyone caterer to your family's needs all the time.