Men's Group

I think there are widespread misconceptions about what the job- and yes, it is a job- of taking care of kids, particularly little ones, entails.

For one, it's not all just chauffeuring little skip or muffy to soccer or ballet. And you can't outsource the job, for instance, of caring for your one year old to your 4 year old.

Here's a stellar example: My wife, when our youngest was still a baby, became 'friends' with a woman in our neighborhood. I put friends in quotes because friendship, to this person, apparently meant being continuously available as a sounding board and dumping ground for emotional whingeing and self-pity. I'm sure we all know people like this woman; endlessly self-absorbed, in love with the sound of her own voice.. combative when challenged on even the most trivial point, to degrees of absurdity. A real piece of work.

Well, anyway, she used to like to comandeer my wife for long walks at which time she would vent, vent, vent and vent some more. One time, she "needed" this emotional outlet, and my wife had the baby. Had to bring baby with. Well, neighborhood woman had a giant, entitled tantrum, couldn't understand why my wife couldn't STOP being the mother of an infant for an hour so she could coddle an adult.

Ridiculous.