It’s a problem I’ve seen posted all over social media: people without kids are starting to resent their parent friends who bring their children along to events.

“I realise that even though I care about [my parent friends], our relationship has changed, and over time we’ve drifted apart, also because none of them have EVER found a way to go out alone with me, they always bring the kid,” an upset Redditor opined .

A Mumsnet user who is tired of hanging out with her pal’s teenagers, meanwhile, said she’d “tried making excuses” not to meet her anymore.

I don’t have kids, but I have to admit I found these scenarios a bit baffling. Surely, I thought, the polite thing is to state your preference before this discomfort builds?

But then, I’m not an expert. Jo Hayes, founder at Etiquette Exp

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