Mum pens open letter to kid-free friends who call her child a 'parasite'

A mother has gone viral after penning an open letter to her child-free friend after they call her child a “parasite” to her face.

Parenthood is a life-altering event in someone’s life and for friends who have differing views on it, or are in different places, friendships can be tested.

That was certainly true for one mother who went to Reddit to vent her frustration, penning an open letter listing the seven points she was finding difficult between her and her child-free friends.

In the r/beyondthebump sub for new parents, she captioned her post: “7 reasons why I'm struggling to remain friends with those who are strongly childfree.”

The first point on the list detailed how she felt her friends “dismiss” her feelings.

She wrote: “When I mention something about parenthood is hard, you say ‘Well you chose to have a child’. But if I mention something hard about home ownership you never say Well you chose to buy a house.’”

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Secondly, the woman said her child-free friends don’t respect her time and turn up two hours later than they agreed and interrupt the baby’s evening routine, leading to them not sleeping.

In the third point, she said her friends get annoyed if she checks in with her husband before agreeing to plans.

The woman argued: “Unless you want me to turn up with a toddler in tow, I need to check my husband is okay to watch her first or make sure I can book a babysitter.”

Shockingly, point four suggested that her friends told her that her house is “no longer aesthetically pleasing” due to all the baby’s stuff.

The woman continued, saying that her friend also said she is “wasting” her talent by staying at home, despite her wanting to be a stay-at-home mother.

She wrote: “I've always been clear that I wanted to be a stay at home parent if we could afford it. Just like you've always been clear that you are childfree.

“I don't push for you to have kids, so why push me into the career you think I should have? Can't we celebrate each other's successes even if it's not a choice we would make?”

In point six, she revealed her friends call her child a “parasite” and a “crotch goblin”. The mother wrote: “That is not edgy or funny, it's just rude. Why do you enjoy insulting the people I love most?”

Finally, she explained: “I know and have always known you were childfree. I'm not pushing you to have kids, or spend time with mine if you don't want to.

“Constantly talking negatively about my life and my child is not waving a flag for those who are childfree. You're being a bad friend.”

Fellow Reddit users took to the comments to express their thoughts on the “friends”.

One person said: “The issue isn’t being child free. It’s being a sh**ty friend.

“My sister is very very strongly childfree but she loves me and my kids and would never do the crap on this list.

“There are things you think to yourself and things you say out loud. It sounds like this ‘friend’ doesn’t know the difference.”

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