Social Science

I have come to the realization that our kids have better social lives than we do.

My older daughter has a ball at school, gets a different play date invite every week, has friends at gymnastics. My youngest, now that she has started school, is quickly following suit. Both are invited to birthday parties what seems like every weekend. Hell, my youngest is invited to two parties in one weekend.

And my wife and I sit around and watch HGTV on a Friday night. (By the way, who doesn't love that Suzanne Wong woman on House Hunters?)

Where in the flurry of life and careers and kids did we get lost?

Even when we're catching up with friends on the phone, we're half talking and half directing the kids. Ever talked to someone on the phone whose kids aren't in bed yet? Or gotten together with another family and had the kind of conversation that goes like this:

You: "So I was watching a show the other night...girls, please stop running in the house...and this guy was going on and on about...girls, are you jumping on the bed up there?...sorry about that, well he was talking about how..."

Him: "Hey guys, you shouldn't do that in someone else's house, come on now....sorry about that."

You: "No worries. Anyway, so he was saying..."

Girl #1: "Dad...Dad...Daddy...Dad...Daddy"

You: "Excuse me for a second...yes, honey, please remember to say excuse me if you need to interrupt when someone is talking..."

Girl #1: "Excuse me, daddy."

You: "What do you need?"

Girl #1: "Can I have some water, please?"

You: "Sure, honey, I'll get it....sorry, excuse me for a minute."

Him: "Sure, no problem"

Get up, get water, return.

You: "So how about a beer?"

Him: "Sure, thanks."

Perhaps it's the mental multi-tasking of child rearing that drives us to stay in and zone out. But I do know that the few times when my wife and I do go out without kids, we relish every second and we hardly talk about the kids. Sometimes we feel guilty, but sanity is golden.

Anyone have ideas or tips for keeping the balance?