When you meet up with old friends and all they talk about is their kids..

[BrendaandEddie]

the type of mate you have known for years, but who are SO invested in their kids school and exam results/love life that it is their only topic of covo,,,

How do you move it to more interesting things? ( Once you have done the basic = are they alright kind of stuff?)

Don't you watch TV Grotbag? News? Soaps?

I like talking about parenting - I think the topic of parenting is interesting (I'm on Mumsnet "for parents and by parents" after all). I think something that dominates a parents life - raising children - is worth bonding over and discussing. I have many things going on in my life but happen to think child rearing is the most interesting among them.

Sure, you have to be mindful of your audience, show a two way interest and move the topic on at some point but.....to assume people who like to chat about their kids are empty husks with nothing better to discuss is an unfortunate way of looking at it.

That said I also love to hear about people's vacations and look at all their travel photos which seems another generally despised topic amongst Mumsnet users....so possibly I'm outside the norm

at the moment, no! Get DD1 to bed, cook and eat dinner, clean up a bit from the day, settle DD2 into bed and go to sleep myself before the round of night feeds and a non sleeping toddler (it's currently 5.15 and between the 2 of them I've been up since 1.45am). It's hopefully a temporary state and in the meantime I hope my friends don't ditch me for being a bore!

Although on the other hand id moan about someone who wanted to discuss soaps! Surely talking about children would be preferable?!

Yeah well people can bore on about any topic - their job, pets etc. The key is seeing if the other party is interested. And I think any conversation is a two way thing. If it's not going well them both parties are partly responsible.

Perhaps the topics you attempt to bring up are not interesting to her. You have to find something of mutual interest to discuss. And if there is nothing of mutual interest then you probably aren't a good fit as friends!

World's biggest, I felt the same 10 years ago. Having vivid memories of my mother tuning into to the background radio rather than listen to me, I decided not to watch TV when the DCs were with me or listen to the radio when they needed my attention (basically always one or the other constantly for a few years ) so am still finding out that famous people died when I was in the 2 under 2, 2 under 3 phase.
I certainly struggled with other topics of conversation for a few years. But rarely saw other people without the little ones round anyway.
Early years aside, I think it is a personality thing. I know someone without children who manages to turn everything back to dogs and before they got dogs turned every conversation into one about home decorating.

Agree houses are also very very boring

And soaps. But love tv. Sigh

Worldsbiggest don't worry, everyone feels like that at that stage (see my PP) but you do get over it. Going back to work helps, as does the DC STTN. Says the woman who was woken last night by a) 01:34 the 3 year old who wet himself because DH forgot to put a nappy on him b) 01:55 the 7 year old with earache (she spent the night in our bed for the first time in years) and c) 05:15 the 6 year old who had had a bad dream. Not feeling very interesting today...

Old friends talking about kids isn't that bad. But when you meet an old friend and all they can talk about is gossip about ex-classmates who married who, who divorced who, who posted what shite on facebook... It is very sad and obvious, that we have nothing to talk about anymore.