The endless complaints of parents who CHOOSE to over-schedule

[Anonymous]

Honestly, on behalf of your friends, relatives, neighbors and co-workers: STFU.

When I ask my co-worker “How was your weekend,” that’s just a baseline pleasantry. Here’s what’s acceptable:
“Pretty good, but it was also really busy with soccer. Luckily, the weather was nice and we got a chance to go to the pool!”

Here’s what’s not acceptable: A minutes (plural)-long RANT about kid’s sports, activities, rehearsals, recitals, and all things that you and your kids voluntarily want to do. I don’t carry if little Johnny wants to do swimming and baseball: if that’s your life and your choice, own it, and shut upppppp.

None of us are impressed by how busy you are, and no one cares how stressed out you feel. You are choosing all of this. You are the moron who is constantly shoving an iPad in your toddler’s face and making her endure the heat and no proper nap so your older boys can sport, sport, sport. If that’s the life you choose, live your choice and shut all the way up.

And by the way, not that you asked, but some of us are busy with elderly parents, hobbies of our own, or goals of our own. You don’t know that because you never ask, and if you do, we do the polite thing and give a two-sentence summary of our weekend, without all the endless complaining.

[Anonymous]

[phone]

My brother is like this. “Oh we had 16 games or practices between the kids this weekend. Just one to the next to the next, it’s so exhausting.” Umm. This is all optional. And I would totally understand if the stars happen to align poorly and you have one busy weekend where each kids sport happened to have a lot happening. But this is EVERY WEEKEND for them. Maybe consider not putting your three kids in three sports each in the SAME SEASON (and some on multiple teams for some sports) and you could find something more interesting to talk about.

[Anonymous]

You sound really petty and mean OP. Live your own life. Don't ask questions if you don't want to hear the answers.

[Anonymous]

I keep my kids in sports year-round because participation in sports builds well-rounded kids who learn to cooperate with others, balance competing priorities, and manage time. DS had a birthday party this weekend and all of the kids heavily involved in sports were well behaved and kind. The kids who are not as involved in sports were destructive and more prone to arguing with each other and making bad behavioral choices. These are 11/12 year olds.

[Anonymous]

I think sometimes people just need to v-e-n-t.

No offense OP but what you are doing here is exactly what you are venting about other people doing around you.

[Anonymous]

somehow we are all in some contest of busy-ness and there is some hierarchy of what is important. More kids = more important. And even if that all weekend tournament was a blast, for some reason parents have to complain about it....insecurity? Humble brag? I feel lots of this OP, but there's no need to call someone a moron.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Honestly, on behalf of your friends, relatives, neighbors and co-workers: STFU.

When I ask my co-worker “How was your weekend,” that’s just a baseline pleasantry. Here’s what’s acceptable:
“Pretty good, but it was also really busy with soccer. Luckily, the weather was nice and we got a chance to go to the pool!”

Here’s what’s not acceptable: A minutes (plural)-long RANT about kid’s sports, activities, rehearsals, recitals, and all things that you and your kids voluntarily want to do. I don’t carry if little Johnny wants to do swimming and baseball: if that’s your life and your choice, own it, and shut upppppp.

None of us are impressed by how busy you are, and no one cares how stressed out you feel. You are choosing all of this. You are the moron who is constantly shoving an iPad in your toddler’s face and making her endure the heat and no proper nap so your older boys can sport, sport, sport. If that’s the life you choose, live your choice and shut all the way up.

And by the way, not that you asked, but some of us are busy with elderly parents, hobbies of our own, or goals of our own. You don’t know that because you never ask, and if you do, we do the polite thing and give a two-sentence summary of our weekend, without all the endless complaining.

Wow, OP. You should maybe talk to a professional to better understand why this sort of thing sets you off so outrageously. Do you have anger problems in general? Because this reaction is not normal.

[Anonymous]

It sounds like this is more about someone's lack of self-awareness and basic social courtesy (inquire about someone's wellbeing, then actually listen to the answer) than kids' activities, even though that's a common theme here.

[Anonymous]

You lack awareness. You asked, they answered. Just because you don’t like the answer doesn’t mean they are wrong.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think sometimes people just need to v-e-n-t.

No offense OP but what you are doing here is exactly what you are venting about other people doing around you.

+1

This is very true.

[Anonymous]

Yep - have never understood this type. I have a friend like this. She won’t stop complaining about all the chaos but seems to have little insight as to the fact that she signed her kids up for every last thing. I never get a word in, and her chaos on ANY front (activities, elder care, house issues, work, etc) tops everyone else’s no matter who happens to walk into the conversation. And by the way, in response to what PP said, I DON’T even ask anymore…she just offers!

[Anonymous]

ugh. people are so tiresome. i feel for their kids. they deserve downtime and not to have to play sports in 90 degree weather.

[Anonymous]

You asked, OP. Stop asking if you don't want to hear the answer.

[Anonymous]

I get it, OP. Also the fact these people have nothing going on besides their kids. When you ask them they talk about the sports like they play them. One time when a coworker told me something like, “we had a lot of baseball games.” I asked, “oh, you play in a league?” Just to be a smartass.

It makes me hate parenting. These people need to get a life.

[Anonymous]

I get it OP. It’s not just one conversation, it’s over and over again. And you don’t even need to ask them about their weekend, they will give you the chaotic run down regardless. They can never do anything or plan anything because they are so overwhelmed/ over-scheduled and yet seem shocked when they stop getting invite places.

I really don’t care if you want to live like this. I don’t want to hear about it in every conversation. It’s not just “how was your weekend?” A simple “how are you can” elicit these diatribes.

And to the PP above, it’s not about having a well rounded kid who engages is multiple activities. It’s about how some people let it infect every aspect of their lives and every conversation.