Group Conversation Dynamics

It's always entertaining for me when I meet a new couple in a group setting.  In many cases the men gravitate towards one conversation while the women cluster together for a different conversation.

As a single woman the expectation is that I'll chat with the women in a group setting.  Often times that's a fun thing to do.  But there are other times when I'm surrounded by a group full of women who are all married and / or mothers.  In those cases, at some point the conversation often turns to married life and the various antics of their children / husband.  In some cases it's both their children AND husbands with the same antics!  Since these are topics I have nothing in common with I often "space out" rather quickly on these conversations, especially when they drag on and on.  No offense to the mothers I know but the reality is that I couldn't care less about your children's potty training habits.  :)

Many times, once these assorted potty training and other such related stories have gone on for a while, I'll eventually gravitate towards the men's conversation that is often about sports and work related topics that I can actually relate to.  When this happens it's almost inevitable that the woman of the aforementioned couple I've just met will start shooting daggers in my direction with her eyes.

There's something about a single woman in a group that sparks a defensive manner around many married women.  In my experience, married women who meet a single women for the first time automatically assume that, at some point, we're looking to "steal their man".  And inevitably one of the first women to get defensive is the woman whose husband I wouldn't be attracted to in a million years even if he was single and eligible for me to go after!

Ladies...please don't get offended if the single women you know would rather talk with the men instead of the women.  Most of the time it has nothing to do with the actual men in the group and is instead due to the topics of conversation at hand.  Instead of getting upset with the lone single woman standing talking sports or work with the guys, consider having a conversation with her about something other than your husband's quirky habits or your children's adorable talent show!