Don't you just hate it when your friends turn every conversation into a "who's child is better" contest?

Answer 1

It's just the "mommy derby" problem. It's as if parents have to live through their kids. It's hard not to--everyone's kids are "the best," right?! I turn this around by complimenting the other mom's kids--it validates the mom and allows us to move on (or at least prevents me from commenting on my kids). The weird part is that my daughter is in fact advanced (as designated by her school, which is for gifted kids). So I have learned through an series of innocent remarks not to say much about her to others, even if she's acting like her normal self and I think what she did/said was funny or worth a retelling. Basically, nobody but her grandparents and we care :)

Answer 2

Yes, but in this highly competitive society everyone is looking to make a comparative analysis. Just make sure that you have some strong points always on hand so as to set your child apart and immediately make him/her the "better child." The only way to win the game is to play along. Sad but true, I know. Even so, I am sure that you child is amazing, and no one else will fully appreciate it or understand except for you. Just don't let what other people say bother you. Instead, turn it around and use it so that it makes your child even better in your eyes.

Answer 3

Don't let it bother you, when you get older your friends will start having grandchildren, and that's even worse! Seriously, it drives me bananas when people do that. And I don't think they mean to be putting down other people's kids, it's just that one will tell a story, and someone else feels they have to top it....and there you are, on the "what a wonderful child I have" roller coaster again. Bleah! The only defense I have found is to say, "enough talk about children, please tell me what YOU'VE been up to?" This stops them for a few minutes, but generally these are such uninteresting people they can't answer that question...without...you guessed it, bringing up their kids again, and you're back in the soup

Answer 4

YES!

I am so not looking foward to that when I have my daughter (due in 2 weeks) with my cousin. My cousin is the same age as me and has a 1 and a half year old daughter. All my life, she has ALWAYS done the "I am better than you" thing. For example, once I was visiting over at her house and I guess my mom was talking about my school grades or something with my aunt and my cousin was all like, "I'm smarter than she is. I'll prove it." She actually went and got her math book, made me sit down and tried to prove that she could do a certain math problem in less time than me. She's always been like that.
I am so not looking foward to hearing her "my daughters better than yours" speeches. She already loves to brag about her (sure, thats great... but come on already). I have to listen to how "she's so smart because she started talking at 10 months and she is just so advanced for her age. She doesn't hit, like other kids do. She's just so smart. Blah blah blah".

Makes me sick.

Answer 5

I have a friend who is always commenting on how small my son is. My son was 9 lbs 8 oz and 21 1/2 inches at birth. At 8 months he's in the 80th percentile. There is nothing small about him. She's always saying what a 'ham bone' her son was...blah blah blah.

However, her son is almost two and in 5th percentile height and 10th for weight. Yet, he's a ham bone.

My son is on the quieter side - he studies everyone - when we are out and about (most of the time). And, it's turned into a big issue also. But, kids are kids sometimes they are loud and sometimes they are sleeping ;-P

I hope it works out for you. I just keep telling his percentiles and reminding of her boys. Although, it doesn't help at least I'm not letting it slide.

Answer 6

My parents had some friends like that. If I walked at 10 months, their kid walked at 9. If I could say 5 words, theirs could say 20. Anyway, we moved to another town. Years later, when I was in 10th grade, my dad came home and told my mom that he had run into their old friends. Mom immediately asked if their daugher had won the noble prize yet. It turns out the girl had dropped out of school, gotten pregnant and was on drugs.

All that bragging and comparing was a waste of time.

Answer 7

I have a friend like that. She starts talking about her kids and i dont say a thing about mine just so we can change the subject. I love my kids to death and think they're wonderful but i know that to other people they really arent that interesting. My friend was going on and on about her son one day to a lady and i had to tell her to shut up cause this lady's baby died of SIDS just 2 months before. It was a horrible situation. Then my friend started going on about how she always worries about that and what she would do if her baby died to the lady who lost her daughter. I was going to punch her. How Rude hey. Thats the worst case of it ive ever seen

Answer 8

I think that would be exasperating,and I would not want to keep company for very long with the sort of "friends"who always wished to one-up others vicariously,via their offspring.I have better ways to spend an hour,and I'd sooner enjoy the accomplishments of my offspring in a less "in-your-face"manner.

Answer 9

Fortunately.. I don't have these conversations... one reason is because of difference.. who is to say one is better than another.. Kids are kids.. they are going to express freely without judgment if they are allowed. (And hopefully they are allowed)...

If I had been involved with this type of conversation I would have been at odds with myself to tell the other mother to "Get Real".. kids are kids, and they shouldn't be a milestone for them personally, they should be adored for whatever they are capable of in a positive manner instead of being measured up to another kid.
Poor kid. I'm sure the Mom was just overjoyed with pride, but those expectations add pressure... Poor kid.

Answer 10

I know my kids are way cuter and smarter than anyone else's, so I don't feel the need to rub it in their faces. LOL joking. ALL parents think their kids are the best! Just remind your friends that every child is different, and some are better at certain things than others. One may be excellent at math, whereas the next may be the next Beethoven.