facebook status update haters

And I have qualified that - several times now.

Just to clarify, the first lot I posted were from multiple friends, the second lot were all from me.

But since I update my status every 24-48 hours, the posts stretch back over several months, and I think those are pretty much all the family-related ones... so you do the maths!

As for status updates in general, I think they're a harmless and amusing diversion, and I can't begin to fathom why people get so riled by them. I agree I'm probably lucky because many of my friends are good writers and therefore know a thing or two about being pithy and witty, and also I'm pretty selective about who I grant friend status to. One of my friends has over 500 "friends", but I'm willing to bet they don't all swap Christmas cards. Or not real ones, anyway.

How do I answer that without using the IIHKIWU phrase? I don't know what it's like, obviously, but I'm not a complete emotional numpty either.

You know what, it's pretty bloody difficult not being a parent too - we work hard, we suffer from a lack of sleep, we have ongoing emotional issues because of it but our difficulties are ALWAYS trumped by a parent. They've always got it harder. And sometimes it's quite hard knowing when your parent friends simply want to moan about their lack of free time, or when they want to actually do something about it.

But this is irrelevent to the discussion.

I apologise for making a sweeping generalisation, especially about something as sensitive as being a parent.

My updates often focus on food. I am stomach-obsessed.

The parents in my acquaintance mainly post an amusing mix of child and non child related updates.

I must admit there are a couple who solely post (it seems) dull updates about their children. having raked through a little in the name of research, their non kids updates are quite dull as well so perhaps it's less about the children and more about the person?

I do post child related ones - am currently on mat leave - so it's my job. I do try to not limit to baby related stuff but sometimes I literally have nothing else to say

There are deffo some smug ones about though - I would say they are more 'duty fb friends' than real friends. the majority of which I've culled ?

?

Mine are normally alcohol related or injuries caused by alcohol related!! ?

burnt arm ?

My latest update is about Facebook status updates.

It seemed appropriate.

Boop, I'm getting the distinct impression someone has riled you about this IRL. Perhaps you should take it up with them?

(Edited as posted too soon.)

Sophie, is your latest for NickJ's benefit? ?

I love reading status updated and most of my friends post funny/witty/informative ones. The ones i do hate are ones written by "SIF's" (single issue fanatics). I have one friend who is a few weeks pregnant and since she announced it everyday it's a pregnancy related updated. I did think, "Oh here we go, 8 months of this"

I dont see any now, so she can be as rude/funny/scathing as she likes ?

It's her shopping list for tescos ?

Well firstly, I didn't really expect an answer, it was more rhetorical. I don't have the answer so I didn't expect anyone else so in all honesty.

It's kind of ironic that you're apologising for making sweeping generalisations on one hand, then making some more on the other ( in bold). Awlays 'trumped' by parents? Always got it harder? I never think I've got it hard, I think I'm one of the happiest people I know, but that doesn't mean I don't complain about the length of hours my job demands of me occasionally. I can only assume you have some issue I'm not aware of, so I'm bowing out now since I don't really know the underlying agenda here.

I love reading updates, I actaully find it quite interesting to see what people are getting up to. Last week I must have updated my staus more than once a day due to the children being home from school (I was bored) but I think I only ever mentioned them once. Most of the time my updates contain the words 'dissertation' as it's the only thing on my mind at the moment. The children could be quite happily swinging from the lightfittings at the moment and I wouldn't even notice (or even care LOL). Just because I am a mother it doesn't mean that I have nothing else to talk about and I hate the assumption that all parents ever talk about is their children. We do have other things on our minds you know. I love my children dearly but they certainly are not or will they ever be the be all and end of of my life.

I'm so sorry you missed it Nick, it was speshuly for you ?

Waaaah. My friend and I play a daily worse fb status game and I nearly submitted yours Sophie. I did think (hope) it was possibly a joke though.

I have a baby bore on my list, it's my cousin's wife. Last three updates:

C will do anything to make R giggle.

C is carrying R about. All 17lbs 2oz of him!

C is glad today's over. Not leaving R (the bottle hater) again any time soon!

But I also have a bike bore:

R has nice clean drivetrains, for at least the next 11 hours or so.

R is pondering which bike will be best tomorrow in the combination of wind and snow.

R has established beyond doubt that the Trek is best for snow.

and a teaching bore:

A is not looking forward to the journey into school tomorrow. Poor little mini doesn't want to go either!

A will be having another lazy day tomorrow. (sorry to all non teaching friends x).

A is amused to have been told she looked like a 'proper teacher' today by one of the kids. All because I wore my glasses.

I sometimes mention my son in my status, but usually in a derogatory manner, is that allowed? ? I think to suggest that all parents are baby/child bores is really unfair.

I think this thread is going to make me pay more attention to people's updates, rather than less. I'm not sure that was the aim, was it ?

This thread made me paranoid, so I've looked at my last 10 status updates. NONE of them have any mention of my children. Well one makes reference to my artistic skills whilst making a CBeebies card, so I suppose that's indirectly referring to my children. But other than that, nadder.

Deleted - what's the point.

Like others I seem to have a mix of child-related and non-child related but like someone said - I think it was HH - I don't see why these are worse than people who talk about work/sports teams etc

I do the latter too.

<aside> It really bugs me seeing people on FB that I KNOW are on Hitched by virtue of their other friends but I don't know who they are ?

WSS. When I've spent all day looking after a 2 year old and a 3 month old there isn't often a lot else to say. And tbh if I had been at work/at the gym/in the pub, I don't really see that an update about those would be any more interesting.

Boop, before I say this you know I fully understand how you're feeling, right? and that my dog is the complete light of my life for exactly the same reasons as yours!

I know you spoke to somebody about all of this a few years ago (and at the risk of speaking out of turn) would you consider doing it again. You sound so desperately unhappy.

We are currently mid way though the adoption home study process and I can hand on heart say 95% of the time I'm happy. If you had asked me a year ago whether I thought I would be I would have laughed at the idea. I'm not for a moment suggesting adoption is something you should do as it's such a personal decision but to get to this point we both had to really deal with our feelings about not being able to have our own.

People can be very thoughtless (we have just had a huge problem with our ILs about this topic) but it's even more of a blow when feelings are so raw.

As I said, I hope you don't think I'm talking out of turn but I really don't like to see somebody so clearly unhappy.?

Oh so fucking what.

Going by your last post, it's probably the reason why you notice it more. ?

But parents will include their children in their status updates sometimes, just like someone else would with sport/ hobby etc. There's lots of people in the situation with no children for whatever reason. Doesn't give anyone the right to pass comment on said parents, people shouldn't have to tip toe around what they right incase of upsetting one or two of their friends.

It doesn't sound easy for you, but having a gripe against parents isn't going to help your or anyone else's situation. ?

One of my friend's keeps posting very cryptic updates, so much so that my update last week was in reference to that ? And I get loads of baby bore updates, tons of them, every bloody day, they just go on and on and on ?

I've only mentioned my boy once on the updates. But as NickJ very helpfully pointed out, if you don't want to see them then you can have them turned off. Problem solved.

Has anyone reading this not gone to check their updates to see if they are in fact, a single issue bore? I am now paranoid that all I posted about was my new bike, but on checking, I see that in fact it cycles (har har) between new bike, drinking, moaning about work and food. Phew!

Boop, if you are still reading this, I am sorry that you find it so difficult. I'm sure it's thoughtlessness and not malice.

I suspect a high proportion of my updates are child related, sorry! Not only that, but my picture is of one of my children. That said I don't really do updates that often these days so hopefully people aren't getting a constant stream of guff about my life. That's what twitter's for after all.

I'm a FB running bore ? They're my sodding updates, I can say what I like.

? Boop

Ah but you called him your "little man" in said update ? I feel the need to mention that as I bet I'm one of the baby bore ones you're on about you caaaaaahhhhhh ?

? boop. your post has made me ?

Why not try status shuffle if you want to branch into a different avenue.....always good for a laugh as well!!