@antnf8900 Adding my recommendation for podcasts and local news. I like podcasts about culture (I listen to parenting ones too, but the culture ones definitely expand my mush parenting brain a bit and provide more conversation fodder). National news these days honestly feels too depressing /polarizing/exhausting for me to want to talk about a ton, especially with just acquaintances, but local news! Local news is great for knowing/understanding what’s happening in your area as well as sharing with others.
@antnf8900 I’m still in my 20s and feeling this to a degree. Mostly because a) none of my friends have kids- none. b) socializing with other parents overwhelms me to be honest, and I’m trying to work through that. A lot of parents in my community are a bit older than me and seem to be on a different vibe. I sort of feel stuck in-between my own selfishness and the endless sacrifices of parenthood. My baby is just two months old so honestly I spend a lot of time just me and him. Just kind of in our own little world. Won’t be like this forever. I tell myself my son will thrive from seeing me continuing to have curiosity and energy despite the mundaneness of life and parenthood for that matter. I try to incorporate him in my world just as much as he incorporates me in his. I try to not make my 24 hours a day revolve around baby things even though they very much do. I also find it helpful to recognize moments where I resent my child for needing so much, I recognize he probably resents me too if not now, someday. That’s okay.
