I just have to get this off my chest so I can remain friendly and civil and not go off on this person.
I am a dog trainer in a network of other dog trainers who all work out of their houses. We primarily work with puppies. I take my puppies out and socialize them multiple times a week, and make sure I go later in the day when there will likely be kids out for them to interact with. I have had puppies graduate and become facility dogs at schools, nearly all of them have gone home to homes with children, etc. and not a single time have they not been ok with kids.
My co-worker, however, constantly brings up how her puppies get used to chaos and her puppies are well socialized because she has kids, etc. AKA: she's doing a better job because she has kids. Not because she's training the dogs, continuing her education, etc. No, just because she has kids.
She constantly talks about how she doesn't have time to do this or that with training... "But they are used to chaos and kids!!"
It feels so belittling how often she brings up how her kids make her a better dog trainer. We also have clients specifically request trainers who have kids... and it feels, I don't know, like I'm not good enough just because I chose to not have children? That I can't do my job successfully just because children aren't in the house? I have never had a dog not like kids, but the trainers with kids have, in fact, turned out dogs who didn't like kids.
Beyond work I also have to constantly hear about how she doesn't have money, how she should be getting more clients because she has more responsibilities to pay for, etc. Sorry, but I also have a life to live and a lot of need for money, too. And I bust my butt at my job.
It's just really upsetting and belittling and, quite honestly, insulting. And I just needed to vent.