Wow, there were far more responses than I imagined! All of you who posted hit the nail on the head. I have had a few friends here and there who have kids, and I've made clear my no babysitting rule. They've mostly understood, but usually by the time the kid is 3 we've parted ways, due to schedule conflicts, lack of things in common, etc. One friend I quit talking to because I felt she was borderline (verbally) abusive toward her kid, and I couldn't criticize, because "you (I) don't have kids, you (I) just don't understand." She once told me, after screaming at her toddler--this happened all the time--to never have kids. She looked so miserable. A year later, she was pregnant again. I had been through a legit pregnancy scare around this time and was considering keeping it if it came to be, but my experience with her led me to follow her advice. I really couldn't just stand by and watch, but she wasn't exactly something to go running to SRS about, either.

I also can't imagine coming home from my job only to have to spend the rest of the night cooking, cleaning, and getting a toddler/child to bed. Neither can I imagine staying home, cooking, cleaning and talking to no one but a child all day long. Some people can do it, and do it well, I'll leave it to them