Mutual, yes :). Thanks for commenting, and I'm certainly not upset -- I think that you make valid points.
1) I think I tend to use the relative freedom of friends-without-kids as a benchmark, and then fret when I have to be stuck at home. It is not uncommon, I'd guess... maybe those with kids are just less visible.
2) I'm guilty of using my "inside voice" externally... that's how I'm feeling, or even muttering to myself. As though I need to justify my situation (sitting home Sunday night fretting while Pat and the kids were already asleep) by assigning others' motives or attitudes that would produce it.
I don't know if those assigned attitudes correspond to reality, although you may be right in that my expectations tend to force them in that direction, thus perpetuating the cycle. What it would take to break out of that cycle... I don't know. And I've probably long since burned my proverbial bridges locally, so there's no way to escape (short of moving ;).
no subject
Date: 2004-09-08 03:45 pm (UTC)1) I think I tend to use the relative freedom of friends-without-kids as a benchmark, and then fret when I have to be stuck at home. It is not uncommon, I'd guess... maybe those with kids are just less visible.
2) I'm guilty of using my "inside voice" externally... that's how I'm feeling, or even muttering to myself. As though I need to justify my situation (sitting home Sunday night fretting while Pat and the kids were already asleep) by assigning others' motives or attitudes that would produce it.
I don't know if those assigned attitudes correspond to reality, although you may be right in that my expectations tend to force them in that direction, thus perpetuating the cycle. What it would take to break out of that cycle... I don't know. And I've probably long since burned my proverbial bridges locally, so there's no way to escape (short of moving ;).