Anyone else not all that interested in other people's kids?

gymnst1013 · March 2011

A post below just reminded me of this - I have never been one to beg to baby sit other people's children and spoil them rotten. And yet I've been dying to have my own.

I think part of it is that I'm not used to other people's children because I haven't been around them as much as I would be around my own (obviously to really learn them and their personalities. There is only one child that I genuinely look forward to seeing and that is the daughter of some friends of ours. But she is also the one I see most so I guess I "know" her better.

And sort of related - I watch and hear about friends who, once their kids are out of the infant stage, spend every waking hour entertaining them and I get nervous that I'm not going to be able to do that with my own kid - like I'll get bored or something. Because let me tell you, when I do babysit some of my friends' kids, I am bored out of my mind trying to entertain them for a few hours sometimes!!!

MommaA117 · March 2011

not at all. I've never loved kids, except for my Niece and Nephew. I am so excited for my own though. I think it's totally different. All my friends even comment that I'm not a kid person and they are amazed at this new side of me since becoming pregnant. I knew I had it in me, just never gushed about it or showed much interest in others kids.

I think when it's our own we will just be amazed by them. lol

sunset+skies · March 2011

I am RIGHT there with you. I posted about this last week when my boss brought in his two-week old twins, and I was pretty apathetic about holding them.

The one with the 2ndary IF I posted about is pretty much the only person whose kid I actually LIKE seeing, and even then, only in small doses.

Again, same situation as you, I get bored trying to entertain her for more than a short period of time.

New Years Eve was spent with 4 other couples and their kids, and after about 2 hours of being there, I was SO ready to leave, because the kids were driving me nuts. The only one I enjoyed was the 3yr old who kept climbing up to snuggle with me.

Michekke · March 2011

Actually kind of glad I'm not alone in this to tell you the truth! I sure feel really evil! I really LOVE MY KIDS but when it comes to other kids most just annoy me. Not sure why they just do. Or I feel akward around other ppl's kids! I was at my aunts funeral Saturday and was sitting by this little girl that kept grabbing at me and touching me and i really didn't know what to do lol! Her grandpa didn't seem to mind she took to a stranger so easily!

Brandibaby28 · March 2011

I totally understand what you are saying!!! I loved my neice, and am now SO excited for our baby to come. But other than that. . . I could care less. I know it sounds mean! -But one of our friends has a 3 year old and her mom does nothing but talk about how frikin awesome her kid is and there is not another one that is as cute as hers. It gets kinda annoying and all because she thinks her daughter is a genious. (I'd hate to tell her she is average!) Whenever anyone else mentions a milestone for there baby, she turns the conversation around and talks about how her daughter did it waay before that! (When we all sometimes know better!) LOL! I always just smile and nod. That might be what makes other kids not so cool!

js748899 · March 2011

I feel the exact same way. I have never been a "kid" person either. I just find it really hard to communicate with them....I wish I could just talk to them like an adult. I think its hard to find stuff to talk to them about, lol. But, with that being said I can not wait to be a mother. I have never wanted anything as much my whole life. I can't imagine the love I will feel for my son once he is here. I think it is different when it is your own child.

ChristinaMT4 · March 2011

I like most kids, especially my friends' kids and my nieces and nephews, but I don't have a strong relationship with any of them. At least nothing close to what I have with my own kids. They're cute and all, but I don't want to hold them or play with them or talk to them. And I definitely don't want to watch them for any length of time.

Temp356619000002780 · March 2011

Me I can't stand other peoples kids. I won't even watch my nieces and nephew. MS was not the best kid in the world, but I taught him manners and respect. I can't stand when kids talk back to their parents, or like my nephew he says shut up. Makes me want to smack him. My niece says no when she is told to do things. I just can't handle when parents don't discipline their children. Makes the kids totally annoying. So it's real hard for me to want to spend time with other peoples kids. Discipline can be taught at a young age...

Edit: I also worry that now that I am a SAHM I will get bored and annoyed by my kids. LOL I can't stand super moms, whose home is spotless and do all kinds of activities with the kids.. LOL We shall see how well I do...

MommaG123 · March 2011

I may be a little different than some in that I still love other people babies... it makes me smile and melts my heart a little when I see them and get to hold them.

However, I am terrified about being a bad mom and not being able to entertain my own child because I get overwhelmed when I watch other peoples 3-6 year olds and have to constantly entertain them etc. Embarrassed

mesr · March 2011

i'm not really a baby person. i love kids, even other people's kids, but usually only once they get to the talking stage. i have more trouble with other people's babies. so when i had dd, i figured that i would just tough out the baby stage and then enjoy it as she got older. however, dd taught me a lot about babies, and i learned to like even other people's babies much more than i did before having one of my own. i think that i can now remember the baby times with dd when i see another baby and project that a little.

runnergrl6675 · March 2011

I'm not interested either. I love my niece and nephews and that's about it. Don't get me wrong, I want no ill will towards anyone elses children, but I'm just not that interested. I love infants and I love to hold them. But once kids enter that bratty phase, I would rather just leave the room when they are there.

When do we graduate from the eggplants? Sheesh.

prettyfish13 · March 2011

I'm not a kid person either! I never have been. I know I went through a phase when I was quite convinced that I never wanted my own kids. I've always felt at a loss at how to interact with them. Babysitting bored me out of my mind.

Of course, the only exception is my son, but its definitely because I know him the best! I love being a mommy, even if trying to entertain him for an extended period of time bores me. So I think the whole "it's different when it's your own kid" thing is completely true.

BookishMomma · March 2011

Sort of, except that in general I like kids. It's babies and toddlers I'm apathetic about. I don't find most people's babies all that cute and quite honestly think they are boring. There are exceptions, of course, for babies and toddlers I know well and love, but when I see most babies and toddlers at, let's say Target or the grocery store, I'm kind of like "meh." I know it's a bad comparison, but I felt this way about dogs, too, until I got my own. And now I am gaga for dogs.

jojobean1977 · March 2011

This is totally me. I love all of my kids so much but when my SIL had a baby 8 months ago, I couldn't care less about holding him. Happy for them but just not that interested. I hate to say it but I do care more about my brother's kids maybe since they are genetically related to me. They were also born within weeks of mine but I didn't really care if I held them since I already had mine first.

ChristinaMT4 · March 2011

mari2003:
Me I can't stand other peoples kids. I won't even watch my nieces and nephew. MS was not the best kid in the world, but I taught him manners and respect. I can't stand when kids talk back to their parents, or like my nephew he says shut up. Makes me want to smack him. My niece says no when she is told to do things. I just can't handle when parents don't discipline their children. Makes the kids totally annoying. So it's real hard for me to want to spend time with other peoples kids. Discipline can be taught at a young age...
Edit: I also worry that now that I am a SAHM I will get bored and annoyed by my kids. LOL I can't stand super moms, whose home is spotless and do all kinds of activities with the kids.. LOL We shall see how well I do...

Oh, you would just love my niece. I'm watching her this morning and when her mom brought her she was in a bad mood. Her mom tried to kiss her and she took a swing at her. I told my niece "hey, you don't hit your mom!" and my sister laughed and said that she had already hit her, kicked her, screamed at her, etc. a bunch of times this morning. The child is 3 and way too old to be getting away with that. My sister also allows her to swear. It's insane. I don't say anything anymore although I can guarantee you that if my kids acted even close to the same way (they don't) she would think they were terrible, rotten boys.

I had to get that off my chest. I'm kind of horrified that she allows her to act like that. And I'm not a super strict parent, but manners and respect are so important.

growingmybun · March 2011

I feel the exact same way.

caruso_60 · March 2011

I have never been interested in other people's children and I'm still not, even though I have an 18 month old. I think that is why I waited so long to have children, I was worried that it wasn't for me. Now, I wish I would have done it sooner. I love being a mom. I do get bored sometimes at home with my DS trying to keep him entertained. (My DH travels 20+ days per month and I have no family, so its just me and DS.) I try to keep us busy with activities. He has swim lessons 2x week, play dates, baby gym, we go to the park everyday, and I pay a bit more for a gym membership with great child care so I can have a little time to myself. I think you just have to keep busy, so your days don't start to run into each other.

sunshine336 · March 2011

I will say that I have always felt awkward around babies/ kids. My extended family lives overseas so I never grew up visiting younger relatives or anything like that.

Since then I've had a few friends who've had kids but I don't see them often enough to really get to know them and be comfortable with them.

DH's sister has 2 kids and I do look forward to seeing them, but usually when I do it's at a family gathering and they are running around with a pack of 6-8 other kids so I am not forced to entertain them for any length of time.

And I'll be meeting my sister's 2.5 month old son next week so I'll see how I do with him.

Want a personalized experience?

Anyone else not all that interested in other people's kids?

Re: Anyone else not all that interested in other people's kids?

Choose Another Board

Search Boards