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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Folks, OP isn't asking for friends or socializing. She finds it weird that these people don't engage with her at all, even when their children are interacting at a playground. She describes people as just looking past her. That's super anti-social.

I think parents should view one another like work colleagues. If you went to the office and refused to make eye contact or exchange greetings with coworkers, you would right be considered anti-social and rude. You don't have to be friends with coworkers or hang out with them after work. But you should figure out how to interact with them in a pleasant way while you are at work.

Well, when you are a parent, part of the job is playgrounds, and pick-up/drop-off at school, camp, and activities. People should learn to make eye contact, smile, even make idle chit chat with the parents you see in these places. You will often be seeing the same parents for years and years -- that woman you pretended did not exist at the neighborhood playground when your kids will 2? Guess what, five years later the two of you will be stuck sitting near each other for 3 hours at a soccer tournament or the 2nd grade zoo field trip or something. Go ahead and learn her freaking name and acknowledge her existence like a human being.

Were some of you raised by wolves or something?[/quote]

Whatever. And then when you do that you invariably get invited to join someone's church, or handed their real estate agent card, or something else unwanted. The too friendly are often too friendly for a reason. Slow your roll.[/quote]

I've been parenting in this area for 10 years and literally never been invited to join anyone's church or handed a real estate agent card by another parent. But also... it wouldn't be a big deal if that happened? "Oh, no thank you, we're not looking for a church. But I'm glad the community is working so well for your family." "Oh, thanks! We're not in the market for an agent but I'll keep it in mind [put card in purse, forget about it completely, throw it away when next cleaning out purse]." It's not hard.

But I will tell you what being friendly and pleasant to be around with other parents has gotten me: an easier life. My kids are in carpools that cut the amount of chauffeuring I have to do in half or more. We always have parents we can text for a biking or sledding meet up when my kids are bored. I got tipped off on a second Girl Scout troop starting in our neighborhood that I would never have learned about if I didn't interact with parents at playgrounds. And so on.

Parenting is not a solo sport and you are making it harder for everyone, including yourself, by refusing to develop some BASIC social skills in this part of your life.[/quote]

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