15 Things You Wish Your Non-Parent Friends Could Understand

1. That going out to dinner just doesn't happen…unless at 4pm and we eat half the food in the car because said child will most likely lose it in the restaurant and we will cram my purse with whatever handfuls of food I can grab. Then if it reaches 5pm I have to rush home to get fed, messy child upstairs for a bath and wind down for bed at 7pm. Who wants to be my friend? I mean seriously… no one? I don't blame you lol - Jenna

2. How messy it is. I'm not lazy or dirty or a slob. But these kids are so messy. Their clothes, faces and hands. My apartment my car, everything! Me! It was is a mess - even if it was perfect 20 min before. Now it's a mess - Alessandra

3. 'Hey we're going to the pub/club for dinner and drinks tonight. Wanna come down at 7?' Yes. Yes I do. Can I? NO! Maybe, if you had have given me a heads up a week ago so I could arrange for someone to watch the kids. For coffee/day trips to the beach etc. 'Just bring the kids.' NO. Why would I bring the kids to a place that you want to go to relax? Do you know how un relaxing the beach/coffee is with a toddler and a baby?! - Jennifer

4. That when we say we're tired and they say they're tired we are talking about two completely different kinds of tired! Like, I forgot my car had a brake the other day while I was driving. That's where I'm at right now in my level of tiredness - Jodie

5. That I’m practically falling asleep by 9pm, so going out is a big deal. That my brain might be a little mushy after spending all day with bubs, so please give me time to get in the conversation - Kylie

6. We can’t come over as much as we used to because baby needs her usual bedtime routine. If we change the routine nobody gets any sleep that night. Plus it’s winter, I’m not going to risk baby getting sick to go out - Claudene

7. That having a child is all-consuming. There is no down time, there is no break, there is no time for thinking about your needs or switch off button. It's your everything now. - Erin

8. We are busy... ALMOST ALL THE TIME! And when we aren't we just need to rest and regroup. Lol - Christy

9. Any bookish advice you have on parenting has already been attempted... - Deepti

10. We aren't being anti-social, we just have no-one to baby sit - Pam

11. It's all about the baby's schedule now, I'm on her time. Always! Not sure how long this lasts - Gina

12. We do want to come to events, but we have a baby and it's been too cold to take her out at night. Please visit us at our house and keep inviting us. We will make it to whatever we can - Nadine

13. To not just drop in. I hate that – Safiye

14. I cannot talk on the phone anywhere between 3.30 – 7.30pm. Just isn't possible - Danielle

15. I don't have many friends who don't have kids - Laura