Every big life change seems to come with it's own annoying "cocktail conversation points" -- those safe, repeatable questions that everyone asks. They give the asker an easy road into a conversation, and the
asked another crumbling path of anxiety to discuss or a paved superhighway pat answer. The questions change over time, but the process of answering stays the same. Senior year of high school it was "where are you applying for college." In college - "what are you majoring in?" After college - "what are you going to do with your life." pregnant "what hospital? Are you finding out if its a boy or girl?" Once the baby comes the question is "how is he sleeping?"
I hate this question. Or rather, I hate how predictably the responses come. It's like a ballroom dance - same steps, slightly different order. If he isn't sleeping well, the casual cocktail conversation partner murmurs vague sympathies, adds an anecdote about a friend whose child never slept. The next step is a variation -- either they offer suggestions, or ask questions to point out where you are going wrong. Bonus points if the person pointing out what you could be doing wrong has no children. Double bonus points if they are a complete stranger!
What now surprises me is when people ask the question, truly listen, and then ask if I need advice or just want to vent. Bonus points if that person is a stranger, double if they don't have kids.
What cocktail conversation questions do you dread?
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