Do those of you who have kids find it hard to be friends with childless couples (and vice versa)?

Also, if you and your spouse don't have kids, is it hard to be friends with couples who are parents?





I ask this because my mom recently commented about how she and my dad were friends with this couple years ago (like when my sister and I were really little). But they ended up drifting away from the friendship because the other couple didn't have kids and wasn't planning on having any. Mom said that they just didn't have much in common.





I was just wondering if anyone else found this to be true. Comments are appreciated from everyone, childless or parent.Do those of you who have kids find it hard to be friends with childless couples (and vice versa)?
I'm coupled up without kids and have friends married/with kids, married, single/with kids, and single. I've found the people I stay in touch with most are those that I have the most in common with (kids aside). Of course dynamics change when someone couples up, has a kid (or more) but it shouldn't change the friendship unless one half of the friendship changes so much they lose touch with who they are aside from being parents.


I've thought about this a lot. I've asked people of all ages and even talked with friends when they are pregnant about my concern regarding our friendship changing. I've learned that in today's society sanity for new parents lies in holding onto the independent person, before kid. I say this because what I've learned from older generations (60+) is that today's society looks at parenting very differently that previous generations. Basically people having kids today are far more fixated on it than previous generations, to the point where they lose their marbles over finding perfection in the raising of their kids. Devoting 100% of one's time to raising kids would drive anyone nuts. Nurturing and retaining a portion of independence is imperative. This can help maintain friendships, regardless of that other person's procreative decisions.Do those of you who have kids find it hard to be friends with childless couples (and vice versa)?
I think if it weren't for my childless mates I would go bananas..Lol


As a mother of 3 sons I have friends from both sides of the fence, and we all have something in common. I think your parents drifted away from their friends for reasons other than just not having children.





Both sets are as equaly important in my view.
My best friend and her man have no kids... i get along with her just fine. and all my babies Absolutely love their aunt nanna...
I have tons of coupled and non-coupled friends who don't have children and we have a child. At first it was a little odd but they love our son. All of them feel completely comfortable picking him up, holding him. If they are really your friends, they will accept your entire family.





Your parents probably drifted away because they had nothing in common. Not because of the kid issue.
I'm single and the vast majority of my friends now have either babies or small children, and I find that it makes things difficult. Mostly because I still want to go out and stay up 'til all hours and have drinks and take spontaneous road trips and flirt with strangers, and just generally have adventures, and they can't do that stuff anymore. Which is fine; I know they've traded that life in for something rewarding, but it just means we don't have much in common any more.





I was so psyched when a few female friends suggested a day of champagne and shopping, forgetting that they don't go anywhere without their babies -- strollers and diapers, etc., having to stop every five minutes to breastfeed or change someone. Not very sexy. I was ready to pack it in after half an hour!