A SAHM walks into a bar...

[Magalouf]

And goes to order a round, when one of the guys in the round comes up and says 'I'll get these, I've got a job'.

AIBU to be pissed off! I said it's fine I got it, but he was pretty insistent. I didn't want a scene. He's a friend of DH, who wasn't there at the time.

[lostoldlogin]

I thought that - it is only lonely if you make it so. I am a single mother as I mentioned, and I live abroad away from my family but I am not lonely at all. But then - I am not a stay at home mother. However, if I was - I still wouldnt be because I would still take my son out all the time to see friends, his and mine!

[OfaFrenchMind]

Yup, lonely. Because unless you are severely isolated, and that's a whole other problem, there is a dad, other mums, Internet, your kid, family... It's not a lonely job!

[MrsGentlyBenevolent]

Having a job usually means earning money, leaving the house (but not always), training, travelling, working to some sort of hirechy. It's something most people have to do, in order to eat/have a home/generally live.

Having a child is a lifestyle choice, that does not mean it isn't hard, worth the effort or just as rewarding or even disappointing as a paid job. I'd even say calling it a 'job' diminishes what it is parents do, like it's just another necessity. I would say it's an unfair comparison.

[Battleshiphips]

Id just say "that's really sweet, thanks. By the way mines a pitcher of strawberry daiquiri."

[Littleen]

I think yabu to be offended. It's just sometimes what friends do, and sometimes one pays for the other etc. It's not a big deal -.- honestly.

[redskybynight]

Not sure how this is different to me saying to my friends who are students (and therefore skint) that I'll buy them a drink as I know they are watching their pennies ...

[pixiestix]

Being a SAHM is excruciatingly hard compared to the rest of my work history. In this situation I would have said "Thanks very much" and ordered a double.

[Bonsoir]

And I tend to think that people who think parenting is tough but not a job just weren't prepared for all the hard work involved in parenting!

Personally I don't think parenting is tough at all. But it is a job!

[Bonsoir]

Being a parent is as much of a job as you are willing and able to make it.

[QueenBean]

Being a parent is tough but it isn't a job. Certainly not harder than many actual jobs either.

[Magalouf]

The original thread was deleted..... op disappeared and it became a troll hunt if I remember correctly.

Jeepers I'm not a troll! I mean everyone has a first post at some stage!! I replied a few times on the last thread and then let it be. I originally posted twice by accident, hence the reason it has seemingly reappeared.

Must work on my posting technique

[NorahDentressangle]

I would say it's the hardest job too.
I think it's because you have such emotional investment in the DCs and how they turn out. Also lonely with no immediate reward.

A bit like saying looking after an elderly parent is a dawdle (assuming they are not needing heavy lifting) - no, being a full time carer is draining and hard (we must all have heard of carers' health failing due to the strain) - I think it's the emotional responsibility and the lack of recognition by others, the lack of immediate reward. This results in stress big time.

[MorrisZapp]

Can we just get to a place where we can accept that 'job' is normal/accepted parlance for 'paid job'?

This man has a paid job, regardless of how easy or hard it is. OP does not currently have a paid job, regardless of how hard or easy her days are.

Fwiw I often buy more than my fair share of drinks because I have a better paid job than some of my friends. It's something I like to do and they're happy to accept, and not turn into some weird judgement thing.

My job is pretty easy, but well paid.

[SomethingFunny]

I would have just said thanks?!

[StupidBloodyKindle]

Ooh, twerking what were you? < nosey emoticon>

[StupidBloodyKindle]

It might not be the hardest but without backup/support it can be the loneliest.
Soldier
Surgeon
Firefighter
Coal miner
Deep sea fisherwoman

All these jobs, bar the last one possibly (pending crew or whether you mean the amazing female divers who free dive for pearls) are all team efforts so there is a lot of camaraderie there and breaks

[TwerkingSpinster]

lost, as someone who used to work in a job considered hard by your list, I can tell you bullshit. Being a sahm has been by far and away the hardest thing I've done.

[lostoldlogin]

Yes I agree MrsGentlyBenevolent it is not a job. Woe betide anyone who points that out normally though......

[Dunkyourcustardcream]

I thought the same as 'morelikeguidelines' - if that was me in that situation I'd think great. No round for me I'll use the money for some nice bubble bath and a McDonald's for the kids. Cheers rich man with proper job.

[Blu]

Was he celebrating getting a new job?

[MrsGentlyBenevolent]

I think it was misplaced kindness/joking. I mean, if you are a stay at home parent, it is assumed you have no true income, therefore do not have a job. It's not a bad thing, a bit overbaring to offer to pay on your behalf though. I would have laughed it off, said something like 'I can afford it you know, I do spend money on things other than Baby Yoga and SMA milk '.

As for that 'hardest job in the world' nonsense, lost is quite right. It is tough being a parent, but not the 'hardest job', heck - it's hard work but not a job to start with.

[morelikeguidelines]

I thought it would be "a sahm walks into a bar".. .

"and then promptly falls down in a faint to realised she has got away from the house and kids "

[lostoldlogin]

In fact I am a working single mother. Team of nannies! Ridiculous. The rent was in reply to another poster on the tread who trotted out the "being a mother is the hardest job in the world" claptrap.

[Kytti]

lostoldlogin Bit extreme?

And as for "Looking after your own children who you love? Not that hard. Really."

Loving them is easy, being a good parent can be very hard. If you think it's a piece of cake you must have a team of nannies on board.

[TheDowagerCuntess]

I missed the other thread, but the OP doesn't say anything about SAHM-dom being the 'hardest job in the world' so not sure where that rant ^^ came from.