What Are Your Thoughts On This?

I agree with you. It struck me as a very negative point of view. I can understand where she's coming from but at the same time, everyone is different and is on a different path. Some get married very young, some get married later in life, and some don't get married at all and that's ok!! It is most definitely ok to celebrate being single and enjoying that aspect of life. I don't understand why she has to put so much pressure on herself... maybe that's harsh, but there's no need to feel put down just because others are at different points of their lives. I'm sure it's also hard during this day and age with social media and everyone posting pictures and everything, but again, that is no excuse to feel sorry for yourself. This is just my opinion.

I have somewhat mixed feelings about what the author has written. First, I hope much of it was intended as irony/sarcasm? So, while I think many of her suggestions are ridiculous and negative/snarky, I'm assuming she wasn't actually suggesting she and others would do them, just trying to illustrate her point. Do I agree with her? No. However, I do agree with her suggestion that wedding and pregnancy celebrations have morphed into events, that sometimes, seem over-the-top, and then can seem even worse when every detail is repeated & shared on social media. I've had friends who've had multiple showers, "sprinkles," gender-reveals, "push parties," new baby "meet & greets," etc., with every event well documented and shared for public consumption, and similar approaches to weddings. It can at times absolutely seem excessive and extremely self-indulgent. Second, as someone who struggled with infertility for eight years before a successful pregnancy, while working in an organization of predominantly young women, where we easily had a work-related baby shower at least once a month, I can identify with sometimes reaching a point where I just needed to remove myself from situations that were very painful, no matter how happy/excited I was for the mom-to-be. Even with all that, I don't think it's a good strategy to be negative and potentially rude; I'd probably look to expand my friend group to include more people in a similar situtation to mine, and when I'd really had enough I'd just graciously decline some of the invitations to events. I'm not in that situation, and I've declined some of the multiple baby/pregnancy events I've been invited to. Good post!

I agree. I mean on one hand some people may very well be depressed by it because it does make them reflect on their own lives but on the other, we should still always be happy for our friends and their paths in life.

This article irked me when I read it the other day. When I was single and friends were getting engaged or having babies they were joyous occasions that I wanted to celebrate with them. We also celebrated things like graduations from college/grad school, promotions at work or new jobs or buying a new house. How could I not be happy for the wonderful things happening to my friends just because the same thing wasn't happening to me? I couldn't and, I know that they would have celebrated me if the shoe had been on the other foot. The author just seems to have a very bitter outlook on life.

Also, just because you're invited to 6 weddings, 9 bachelorette weekends, however many baby showers, you don't HAVE to go. It's an invitation, not a summons, you can always politely decline the invite.

I saw a different article the other day that made me really irked. It's about someone being mad that people question her decision to not have children. She also compared parenthood to owning a pet. I honestly NEVER heard anyone critisize someone over their decision to stay childless. Ever. It's mostly oh you are having kids why you are too young/old/poor/work too much/lifestyle doesn't match/etc. And then compared parenthood to having a dog?!?
You disagree with something, don't like something, move right along, at the end of the day you do you and nobody cares. Someone said - hate all those invites??? Don't go. The end.
Being single but finding happiness in living your life the way you want to is one thing but being single and bitter is another.

I don’t think she literally meant a ten years single party, but her point is no one cares when you graduate or start a new career or something. I’m glad some people do celebrate those things. In my experience and circle, the only thing people have paid attention to me for is my engagement. I’m well educated and financially independent with a career in my field but people only noticed me when I got the ring. Ive always thought the bouquet toss was demeaning and I also don’t like when you have to be in a relationship to get a guest. Your friend or sibling is not ok to bring, only serious relationships. I can work for a degree, get a loan, do my homework, it’s all objective paperwork. But I can’t make someone love me or not leave me or cheat on me. I got lucky one day, but I’ve worked way harder for everything else and no one said a thing. Yes I’m overjoyed to be getting married to someone I love, and grateful to family and friends who are happy for me. But I am also tired of my worth being defined by getting married. If she doesn’t want to go to events she shouldn’t go. But I do get her frustration.

We as a culture should not cease celebrating marriage and children. I think the issue is that the culture the author describes- one with multiple parties for each event and many things staged for social media- is becoming normal rather than the exception. I think that single people on the whole would be less annoyed at their married and parent friends if they weren't being bombarded with yet another excuse to have an expensive party, many of which carry the expectation of a gift or travel.

Also, I think that this mindset is only going to continue to prevail as people delay marriage and childbearing. For example, the author bemoans that she can't have a registry as a single person. It used to be that wedding gifts were of prime importance because a couple had not set up a house prior to being married, and most women were living with their parents before marriage. My husband and I did not cohabitate before marriage, and the wedding gifts we received were very helpful in getting some semblance of a household set up. As a married person, I don't think I would bat an eyelash if I received news that one of my single friends had set up a registry for a housewarming; I think that a move in this direction might help the hurt feelings that seem to abound around wedding and baby presents.