BellaOnline Forums Relationships Married No Kids housewarming party gone bad...

Shnicky- I know what you mean!! and of course more often than not, the topic of giving birth always comes up as we stare at the children...

Anyway..thanks for all the responses! A few people wondered if the adults at the party had anything in common. Yes, we all get along quite well, but I guess since they are all moms except me and the kids were there that day, everyone just felt like staring at children playing instead of talking about other things.

If only they (the guys in the family) ever did anything else except golf I would definitely go! lol

Hey you can learn to play golf! Golf can be quite relaxing, like a walking meditation

I have quite a number of female friends, and many have kids. But I've not seen any case of "brain shut off" just because kids are around. It almost sounds like it's a TV set, where they turn into zombies staring at the activity rather than bothering to think and talk.

To me that sounds like time to bring up a fascinating topic that interests you, and to ask people for their opinions. Someone has to get them out of that zombie mindset! Ask them about the election. That will always get people discussing if not arguing

LOL Just pet them once or twice.

She should have let you know there may be kids there in the invitation as apparently kids were allowed. She should have put whether kids were, or were not invited, in the invitation also.

Vance, I got sucked into that one last week. One of my husband's co-workers had a crawfish boil and included: "We have a big fenced yard, so kids and dogs are welcome."

The host has a big Lab, we brough our two (and all the gear; leashes, toys, water) let them loose in the yard (where the party was) and kept an eye on them. Not 10 minutes later, more people arrived. The first words out of their mouthes were, "Those dogs have to GO, they will hurt the babies!" The dogs got exiled to the front yard with no shade, no water, and out of sight, while the one non-mobile child was left in a carrier on the ground (asleep apparently) about 6 feet away from all the adults.

We ended up leashing the dogs to us for the rest of the afternoon; they couldn't move more than six feet, but at least they had water and shade and us there. I also griped to my husband about the small-ish child who walked up and touched them without permission (he was in no danger, they are NOT aggressive) and just stared at me when I told him nicely to ask to play with them first.

I would have left the second the kids showed up, but it was my husband's party... so I gritted my teeth and talked to adults.

When I lived in AZ i was part of an outdoorsy social group. We were all about being outdoorsy first, our dogs second and children were barely on the radar.

The rule was, kids could only go to our hikes, campings and parties if the parents didn't mind the kids being around adult language, adult conversation and a bit of drinking and general bawdiness. We were absolutely not going to edit our tongues or behaviors, so the parents had to decide if they were okay with that first.

It worked just fine. And dogs were always welcome.

I don't think I have ever been to a party like that before, but at my old job, a lady brought her grandson into work one day. Everyone swarmed around him and oohed and awwed over him. Everone kept asking me if I was sure I didn't want one, and were trying to get me to hold him. Finally I just held him for a second and gave him back, then went back to work. They played and talked for almost 45 minutes while I was working. I should have faked it to get a 45 minute break, too!

My husband and I - tried to have children -- just wasn't in the cards -- so when we decided - not to try anymore then the adoption game plan came into play; why don't you adopt- then you'll get pregnant -- blah blah blah -- YAWN -- so not to hurt anyones feelings we just never answered --- so we got a dog instead - then it was-- so you got a dog to replace a child.... blah blah blah YAWN== so now we are nearly 50 -- and they've have finally stopped the 1001 question drill to the having a child or adopting to ----now that you're getting older you'll wish you'd had children or adopted one -- who will take care of you! blah blah blah YAWN!! So anyway -- that's what it's been like for us -- I do have plenty of nieces and nephews- but I guess that doesn't count! jemcu812

Does my older sister's wedding rehersal dinner count?

It was nice until the kids showed up. She has about five friends with about eight children(all under the age of five) together, and oh boy was I annoyed. One of the mothers had brought a baby, and when my sister introduced me to her, she tried to shove it in my arms.

I backed away instantly, and got quite a few disgusted looks..The other children where allowed to run around and scream..When I got back to my apartment(We left early, thankfully) with my boyfriend, we both needed a good dose of Advil.

And d'you know what? A half hour later my sister calls and says she is staying with us that night. She's very baby-happy, and talks about having kids nonstop. I was tempted to break out a six-pack..