BellaOnline Forums Relationships Married No Kids *sigh* please, just be quiet!

Thanks for the advice, you guys!

And Jilly, I'd probably be quietly getting drunk with you!

Michelle, maybe i should try watching a game and seeing if i can catch some sports fever that i usually lack.

Michelle is right, it is contagious when you are watching a game, especially when everyone gets excited. Even better when you are actually At the game.

That was the reason my cousin came to visit last weekend was to watch the Broncos play the Panthers. My SO and I didn't go to the game, but we all went early to check out the tailgating and ended up eating and drinking beer with some Panther fans. They just invited us over. It was really nice becuase that was one of the only times we didn't have to listen to my cousin's wife talk about her kids...well, not as much anyway.

I totally agree with the other posts, my in-laws always divide into male/female groupings as the others described. And unfortunately the male group is ALWAYS talking about sports. It's so weird and archaic. I am getting really sick of sitting around a table while there is absolutely no adult conversation and everyone just stares at the baby like it's a flat-screen TV showing the latest action movie...thank God it only happens on visits home which are now spaced over a year apart!

However, in social situations (outside of in-laws) I find that men are usually relieved that I don't want to talk about kids or babies, and instead about politics or work. On-a-roll, I miss my male friends and the days of mixed-group company just like you do! But somehow things change after you get married, and I don't know why either. I really miss the old days!

Ahh the good old days! I miss those, too! As I mentioned, we are moving back 'home' and everyone but one friend has kids now. We used to go 4 wheeling and camping and have nights out at the bar. Now, as much as I am looking forward to seeing all of our friends again, I am a little worried about how much different it will be with all of the kids. I guess at least I still have a couple months to prepare for it!

Wow...people REALLY talk like that about their children? I mean WOW...LOL. I only talk about the nitty gritty details of child rearing with other people who have children and it's mainly about teaching, guiding and parenting strategies. Comparing notes about teachers, homework, behavior etc. I can't imagine talking to my single or child free friends about any of that stuff as it doesn't apply. Also I notice that men don't talk about their children much unless asked specific questions.

I have had an experience where a friend kept bringing up a subject that was annoying/painful for me. (it had nothing to do with children) And I settled it one day by taking a serious tone of voice and asked her not to even broach that subject again as I had a negative reaction to it. She has never bought it up with me again and it used to be one of her favorite subjects. She's a true friend.

Actually, I just thought of a conversation I had with one of my child-free friends about my frustrations with the whole homework issue (homework used to be 2 hours of stress in our household every single week night)and my friend assured me that eventually I wouldn't have to be as hands on as her mother was very hands on with the homework when she was little but then backed off as she got older and more independent. Guess what, she was right! I never had any homework help when I was a girl so I had no idea how it worked.

So that could be another strategy to use when someone goes on and on about their children either ask the person to stop talking about the subject if you don't want to hear or try to find a way to identify with what they are talking about like my child-free friend did for me.