I went to a bbq yesterday at a friend's place. There were 5 kids when I arrived - 3 3yos and 2 18 month olds - and I was the only single person there. I got a bit teary watching these happy families, I must admit. All the dads seemed like dedicated fathers, following their offspring around as they stumbled through the house and comforting them when they fell over. And I sensed that the mothers I talked too felt a bit sorry for me, which I resented. I wish I could have appeared cheerful and happy, but I didn't know any of these people and am always shy with strangers. Now I think about it, the dads seemed to all ignore me. Not sure why that was. Did they feel threatened or did they just find a single mother totally uninteresting to talk to?
It got worse when another couple arrived with a gorgeous 3yo and a 3 week old girl. The parents themselves were really nice and beautiful people. When I watched the mother breastfeed the baby (feeling bad about bottle feeding mine) and then hand her back to dad as soon as she'd finished for dad to burp her and hold her while mum had her cake and chatted to the other guests, my heart sunk even more.
When I said goodbye to them I wished them luck with the little one and the mother replied: "You'll need it even more".
I resent other people feeling sorry for me, even if now and again I feel a bit sorry for myself. But I don't think anything I would've said would've changed their opinion.
It got worse when another couple arrived with a gorgeous 3yo and a 3 week old girl. The parents themselves were really nice and beautiful people. When I watched the mother breastfeed the baby (feeling bad about bottle feeding mine) and then hand her back to dad as soon as she'd finished for dad to burp her and hold her while mum had her cake and chatted to the other guests, my heart sunk even more.
When I said goodbye to them I wished them luck with the little one and the mother replied: "You'll need it even more".
I resent other people feeling sorry for me, even if now and again I feel a bit sorry for myself. But I don't think anything I would've said would've changed their opinion.
Lin
