Friends with Kids

I once heard someone referring to new parents as “off the radar”. After nine months of being one of those people, I have a whole bunch of things I would have told that person.

New parents are busy. They are busy taking care of an entire human and finding enough time to wash the endless piles of laundry, clean a house that will never really be clean again and you know like, shower themselves and eat.

Their priority is getting through the day in one piece and yeah they probably did see your message but in the mean time there has been a knock on the door delivering mums 3am online shopping purchases that woke the baby who is now ready to be changed and feed and your text will be forgotten until about midnight that night when it is too late to text back someone who enjoys an uninterrupted 8 hour block of sleep.

Getting out and about is a mission of grand proportions. Doctor appointments, grocery shopping and late night Maccas runs take priority over making sure your great aunts cousins sister has had a cuddle of the new bub. Bake them a freaking casserole and leave it on their doorstep...DO NOT KNOCK!!

Keep them on the radar. Still invite them to Friday night drinks when you know they won’t come. The day will arrive when they have a babysitter on call and feel human enough to catch up, they’ll probably make it to 8:30pm at the latest but they’ll do their best!

It takes months, not weeks, to adjust to life as a parent. If you have someone who is about to welcome a new addition or recently has become a parent, check in with them, offer genuine help and include them in social activities.

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