Y'all know that I have three kids, ages 5, 3, and 11 months. Recently we were at a nearby park because I couldn't take it any longer with all of us at home. I struck up a conversation with another mom who brought a young baby (6 months old) to the swings where Dallas and I were hanging out. Boy! What is it about the park and moms?
I got the whole life story from this mom, including how she met her husband, what she does for a living, what they plan to do about work and childcare, and details about all her infertility struggles and her IVF treatments. I'm opposed to IVF but it was not the time to get into it with this person I don't even know. (Nor is it the place here.) When she asked, I told her my husband works in "business services" and that seemed to appease her. Better than my usual preferred response of "garbage collector."
What is it about the park? It's like a mommy confessional. This is not the first time this has happened to me, either.
2 hours ago
6 comments:
blaaaaah still laughing about garbage collector. I'll have to share that one with The Mr. b/c he'll get a real kick out of that ~ good one.
This has surprisingly never happened to me. I guess I don't seem that approachable in person. I usually get the up & down look for some reason. I don't dress weird or go to the park in my Pjs so what gives I don't know. Guess I'm better off. I'm not much of a small talker anyway. Kinda don't see the point in it. Especially with a total stranger.
sanitation controller
personal advisor
community anyalis
city advisor for the department of urban decay
all jobs I have had in the past.....
Tex ~ I love those job titles! I may pick one of them up for use. I especially liked personal advisor. :)
Rebecca ~ I'm not much for small talk either. Amen, sistah! Which is why it is so interesting to me that so often when I'm at this one park in particular I get into pretty "deep" conversations with moms that I don't even know, or have seen just once or twice. It suggests to me that as moms we really need the support of each other, which often doesn't happen. Instead, we compare our kids' accomplishments ("mine walked before yours!") or tell each other what to do ("If you would just stop nursing all night, the baby will not wake up!") when really we should be united in doing the most important, most difficult job out there ~ raising up a quality generation to care for us when we are old. ha!
That poor woman hasn't had an adult conversation in a LONG time.
We had to come up with an agreed term to use when my husband refused to say he was retired. Personal consultant was what we went with. Now he is back into buisness with our son, so it's irrelevent. :)
I try to take someone I know with me to the park - almost have to with 4 little ones now...but it eliminates the possibility I will be cornered by a mom and given her life story.
I use to think it was just me - that I had a "I will listen to you tell me every detail of your life and act interested because I don't have the guts to tell you that I don't care" sign on me somewhere. ;0)
So maybe the park is the new hair salon or bar where everyone can go to tell people their problems and life stories. . .
And I like TG's list. That's great.
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