Anyone else not “crave adult interaction”?
- Thread starter porven
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- working moms
@porven Absolutely this. I'd rather be cleaning and cooking for my family than putting on a fake smile and pretending like I care about my job, especially since I don't even like half the people I have to interact with on a daily basis. But I do need adult interaction, but that's really only from my husband and parents, I don't need to see anyone else to feel fulfilled.
alicrimson
New member
@porven Yes I agree. Would quit work in a heartbeat if I wasn’t so sensible (like you, long-term financial benefits etc)! If I could find a job that meant remote working and having to talk to very few people I’d find it much easier.
My team is nice and my work is pretty good. But I don’t find it fulfilling and on bad days I’m thinking “how is this important compared to my life at home”. My job is a job, not a career. That was also the case before baby. I do a good job but it’s just to pay the bills and not something I base my life around.
My 13 months of maternity were the happiest I’ve ever been. My house was actually the cleanest it had ever been and I was cooking good meals. I liked to see my house progressing and spending time with the kid. I felt I was going back to work just as he was getting really cool (rather than the newborn potato phase!).
I work part-time now (50%) so get a nice mix but I do get the Sunday scaries every night before work. I’m always much happier when I’ve been on holiday from work for solid 1-2 weeks off!
My team is nice and my work is pretty good. But I don’t find it fulfilling and on bad days I’m thinking “how is this important compared to my life at home”. My job is a job, not a career. That was also the case before baby. I do a good job but it’s just to pay the bills and not something I base my life around.
My 13 months of maternity were the happiest I’ve ever been. My house was actually the cleanest it had ever been and I was cooking good meals. I liked to see my house progressing and spending time with the kid. I felt I was going back to work just as he was getting really cool (rather than the newborn potato phase!).
I work part-time now (50%) so get a nice mix but I do get the Sunday scaries every night before work. I’m always much happier when I’ve been on holiday from work for solid 1-2 weeks off!
albanianboy
New member
@porven I thought I was the same but 13 months into SAHM life and I do crave adult interaction now. I think there's just a difference between maternity leave - where you know there's an endpoint - and being an at-home parent where your life revolves around childcare and housework. I have been at dinner parties with friends and their spouses and found that I have nothing to add to the conversation unless it's something to do with baby sleep habits or toddler behavior and that sort of scenario makes me wish I had at least a part-time job or some out-of-the-house outlet that does not include or involve children (e.g. adult interaction).
dhilawinslate
New member
@porven I love professional achievement and my coworkers. They are interesting and I learn things from them. It does make me happy when my house is clean (though I HATE housework), I have a fun plan for entertaining my toddler (but I feel too burnt out by his pickiness to plan activities he rejects after 5 min), and spending time with him when he’s in a mostly reasonable mood (but, he’s often a normal toddler - whiny, demanding). I do genuinely enjoy cooking nice meals and nourishing my family.
The reality is at work people listen to what I say and I’m paid well for my expertise, and it’s one of the few things in my life that’s just for me. Whereas the home is thankless. “Thanks for doing the 3rd load of laundry this week, and it’s only Wednesday!” Said no one ever (in my household, at least).
The reality is at work people listen to what I say and I’m paid well for my expertise, and it’s one of the few things in my life that’s just for me. Whereas the home is thankless. “Thanks for doing the 3rd load of laundry this week, and it’s only Wednesday!” Said no one ever (in my household, at least).
steutychius
New member
davidfmayerphd
New member
followthestar
New member
@porven Yes and no. I have so much going on the thought of people coming over to my house for fun feels like anything but fun. My adult interaction that is just for me is going out for dinner and drinks with a couple of girlfriends and coming home to the kids asleep in bed. I can only manage that once every 6-8 weeks.
pilgrimagerocks
New member
turtletowner
New member
@porven I worked full time when my son was born and then when I had my daughter, I stayed home. I absolutely loved being home with my kids but after being a SAHM for 8yrs, it’s not so much that I craved adult interaction but rather I was feeling lost and stagnant and for the sake of my own mental health, I needed to put myself back into uncomfortable situations. I already am an introvert and I have social anxiety and it got to the point where I was becoming a recluse because I had no where to go or no where to be and the more I was home, the less and less I wanted to leave it which is fine, in most cases but just going to the grocery store became extremely hard and something that I had to mentally prepare myself for. It definitely was an eye opening experience for me.
jenordinario
New member
hawkeyeonme
New member
@porven I somewhat relate. I am not crazy about my job (I could stop working now and not miss it) but I do enjoy getting to use my brain for more complicated problems than house cleaning or parenting on a regular basis. I do find that I get far more enjoyment out of having a clean, well maintained home and garden and spending time with my kids though. I also enjoy being able to do tasks without a child hanging off me or interrupting to ask for a snack or something haha