August 22, 2006

Childfree Social Network: Part 2

A friendship can suffer when one friend becomes a parent and not the other, just as the single friend laments the (real or imagined) loss of a friend when that friend gets married. They simply don’t have as much in common, or as much time to give to each other. Not always, but in many cases.

Parents meet and become friends with other parents. It’s a build-in social circle. If you’re not careful you will find your fine childfree self going through a lonely stretch from your late 20s to your late 30s. That’s exactly what happened to me, and it took me a while to realize it (and no, I am not prone to sleep-walking).

As a childfree adult, we are perceived as having a lot more “peace and quiet” in our lives and more time for “fill-in-the-blank”. I propose that we get out in the community and prove it!

If you’re child-friendly, you may want to consider becoming a Big Sister, as LauraS shared with us in this post. Volunteering is a great way to be a part of a community, much like going to church, only without the dogma. All you have to believe in is the worthiness of the mission. Volunteers are treasured assets to the communities and the organizations they serve. Nothing feels better than to give of yourself. Here are two organizations that can help connect you to the right organization in your local community and in the world:

VolunteerMatch
Idealist

Having a strong social network requires action. I chose not to participate in any religious circles, yet church can lend great community benefits. The difficulties of being Christian and Childfree have been explored here thanks to Twiga. It is not the path of least resistance; however, for some, it is their rock.

Whether it is work or the good game of golf, your pursuits will lead you to friendships - often the closest ones. Heck, they can even lead you to your childfree soul mate! Perhaps a less obvious approach is to join a social club of like-minded individuals. Could be your local outdoor club, a birding club, or a knitting circle or a book club,...

…or consider joining a social club for adults without children like No Kidding! the international organization, which hosts the Child-free Festival each year. The festival is a great excuse to travel and meet other like-minded individuals. If there isn’t one in your area, you can always start one.


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