An old friend/aquaintance I’ve not spoken to in a few years popped up recently and we got chatting a little over text. In the few years since we spoke she’s had two babies by two different guys. They’re ~6 months and ~2-3 years.
She said that we should get coffee and catch up properly, and I was sort of down, although I’m not really that enthusiastic about catching up with someone I’ve frankly not thought about in a few years. But hey, it’s something to do, and it might be interesting. So I suggested a coffee shop near her and asked if she’d be able to get time away from the kids, but she said that no, she’d have to bring the kids along.
I don’t want to be a dick but I’m really not interested in sitting in a coffee shop with two babies. They’re mostly just going to be the focus of the occasion because they need constant attention, and I don’t really like kids in general. And, if they cry or act up and attract attention I will hate that.
AITA? How do I tell her I’m really not interested in sitting with her babies for an afternoon?
You’re fine. I used to think I hated kids until my friends had kids who were awesome and I realized that I hate bad parents. These kids are too young for anything to imprint. You’re right that they’ll dominate the conversation out of necessity. You don’t want to put yourself in such a situation for someone on your periphery of interest and that’s fine.
People complain that you’re a bad person for not being terribly interested in her life, but she’s not a part of yours and you’re entertaining the idea that maybe you could have a nice time. As an introvert, I think you’re doing a good job of remaining open to the possibility that there could be a solid friendship forming. Even if not that, at least it might be a nice time once.
Others are being assholes. You’re fine.
I don’t have advice for how to position that you only want to meet one on one, but I don’t think you’re a bad person for wanting that. It’s not like I would want my buddy’s 14yo kid to come to record night this weekend. He’s a nice kid, but this is time for the middle-aged men to hang out.