To talk about nothing other than kids

[Fallout123]

Probably get hate for this with it being Mumsnet but I am child free, last one of my friends. Someone who used to be my best friend is due her second child soon. In the last few years whenever I have seen her, there is no other conversation other than kids. We meet up in a group of 4 often and the entire conversation is about kids. Someone will ask about my life and she shows no interest and somehow diverts the conversation back to herself/kids. When I see my other friends individually we surprisingly have other things to talk about. Even on social media, every single story is about her child or pregnancy. AIBU to think this isn't normal?

Yes, I know I was in the small children years (looking back at photos, boy, was I frumptastic then too 😭 ) but I like to think I was interested in things outside of them.

The baby bores are imo those who go on to bore about every other “hobby” too as the years go on. Running is a likely one. Why are you telling me about the best makes of shoe but look blank when I say I was run over by a combine harvester last week?

In years to come these people will become the ultimate bores: grandparent bores and believe me, nothing is more draining than hearing about Arlo’s Yr R school report…

I think there is an element of choice involved in how consumed and blinkered you become about parenting and babies. Not totally and there are times when it is all consuming especially when there's illness, disabilities, relationship breakdowns etc

But on the whole, I am fairly impatient with it.

A lot depends on your personality, what support you have, what your partner is like as a co-parent and of course what your babies/children are like so lots of factors.

But, the people I know who have maintained a semblance of their pre-kids life are the ones who have made a concerted effort to do so.

They didn't drop their longstanding friends for their NCT/baby group people.

They didn't turn down every invite because they won't leave their baby with dad, grandparents etc ever.

And they didn't bore on endlessly without taking an interest in their friend's lives.

They also didn't make petty comments every time a friend went on a weekend away, bought something new or went out and did something.

In return I showed a massive interest in their kids, enjoyed hanging out with them, went to fucking soft play and child friendly cafes because that's what friends do for each other. I love them and I love their kids.

Parents who can't do that are on the whole choosing that change and become horribly insular and tedious.