I’m really tired of getting bombarded with book recommendations from childless friends who moved in with their parents in March And have been enjoying an extended vacation in suburbs and country clubs. Great that you have time to read a new book every week. Some of us lead a grown up life in nyc, working 12hr days while taking care of young children alone because unlike your husband mine is in the office all day. Let’s talk about those book recommendations when you grown up. Vent over. Sorry I can’t say this to anyone in real life.
I totally understand. I have a nice group of female friends from a former job - about 6 - 8 of us - and oddly, I'm the only one with kids. We've done a few Zooms since March and while I don't want to be that person who is always going on about how hard parenting is, I cannot relate to their lives of reading, knitting and AirBnb-ing.
They also need to STFU about schools and family gatherings. They have NO idea what lockdowns with little kids were like.
I get annoyed when friends without children post parenting tips on social media.
First of all, I'm not envious of anyone who is living with their parents right now. That is honestly super depressing. And if all they are doing is sharing book recommendations, then your comment seems a little out of proportion. I have two kids and we are both working parents, and I always appreciate book recommendations because reading fiction is one thing that keeps me sane. But if they have the expectation that you have as much free time as they do, that is different.
The recommendations are with an assumption that I have as much time to read as they do which simply isn’t the case. I’ve been working a lot more and while I enjoy the book every so often I simply don’t have the same amount of time and it takes me a lot longer to finish anything. and thats fine by me, I love DC and time we have together but the tone deafness is annoying.
Yeah that does sound annoying, I'm sorry.
It just sounds like your friends are tone deaf. I have some childless friends, and they are so supportive of me in this time. They have dropped off games for DC, have commiserated, and offered to help in any way they can.
I get your frustration but I think it's unfair to suggest their lives aren't "grown-up" simply because they aren't parents or aren't living in NYC. Their lives are likely the way they are because they made a conscious adult decision not to have children.
I’m sorry but living under your parents’ roof and having your mom make your and your husband‘s lunch and dinner at 35 is not being a grown up.
@Anonymous OP suggested they live independently but are staying outside of the city with parents during this pandemic. I'm sorry that you feel so judgmental about other people's familial relationships or choice of accommodation and company during a pandemic. With this logic, staying at your Hamptons house with your nanny making your lunch is also "not being a grown up."