Doesn't sound like a problem? Well, recently I've been feeling some real 'disgust' at the 'hero worship' going on from one or more of the parents. I'm wondering if I should pull away a bit? I feel like I'm 'competing' with the parents.

Any time a relationship gives you a bad feeling you should definitely walk away for a bit. A little fresh air and different perspective always helps when trying to decide what to do. You don't even have to tell these friends that you are taking a break, just step back a bit and occupy yourself with other activities. If and when you see them at church, be polite and friendly and then be busy! I can't really tell the exact dynamics from your question, but safe to say that being in the middle of any family strife is not good. In any competition between family with kids that small and an outsider, family always wins. You don't want to make yourself part of a competition. Losing is painful and you may well lose a friend, but winning means you've driven a wedge between parent and child and no decent person wants to do that, no matter how much they want to be friends!

If you get along well with the kids, but feel uncomfortable when the parents are around, offer to babysit so they can go to a movie or out to dinner and you and the kids can visit, or volunteer in the church nursery so you can see them and play on neutral ground. Offer to take a babysitting safety course, or provide a background check if it reassures them. Parents are very careful animals and don't like to leave their kids with anyone short of a relative that's also an RN, a paramedic, a nursery school teacher, a licensed nutritionist and a swimming instructor! If the parents seem unhappy with your relationship with their kids they will likely opt out, but that's a risk you take. To be honest, childless folks with eyes for other people's children give most people the creeps. Offering to be friends with ONLY the children will likely make everyone take a giant step away from you!

If it's the other way around and you prefer to be with the parents and not so much with the kids, or with the kids around, then call and invite them to some adult only activities. If it is unclear if kids are invited, perhaps offer to pay half for their babysitter, or help them find a sitter if they don't have one so it's crystal clear that you'd like to see them and not the children. Again, you don't need to be rude or obvious, just tell them how chaotic is is at church and how you'd like to be able to talk to them and visit without distraction. Again, some parents don't want to leave their kids, especially ones so small, but it never hurts to ask.

If you are very close to these folks, or feel really awkward around them to where you can't just casually chat and walk away, then it's probably time to have a heart to heart. Explain that you value the friendship but feel awkward when you are put in the middle. Explain that you don't want to cause a rift in their family or make them feel in competition with you around the kids. Don't tell them what they are doing wrong, tell them how you feel, personally, in certain situations and how you'd like to feel when around them. Ask them for their help in resolving the situation so that your friendship stays intact. If you feel that the parents might feel defensive and unwilling to discuss the matter, or that you won't be able to get your words out tactfully, ask your minister for assistance as a neutral 3rd party in the discussion. They may not agree with your perception, or even want to work it out, but you will have done all that you can to preserve the friendship. Worst case, you cut your losses and walk away from a friendship that wasn't making you feel very friendly. Best case, you step back a bit, talk it out and move forward with a better understanding of each other!