Pushing Thirtyy

Please Quiet Your Kid

Before I was the mature, civil 29 year old I am today (wink), I was a rambunctious college kid, a wild teenager, a rebel pre-teen who barely noticed the adults around me, a hyperactive child, a mischievous toddler who once ran away from home and a typical baby who didn’t want to sleep.  For some reason, it is easy to forget all of this, especially when you are in some public place and you hear a screaming or babbling child.

Must be the parents’ fault, right?  Because none of us were ever like that, right?  We were all perfect, well-behaved children.  Can’t you tell by how civilized we all turned out?  We never bitch about stupid, meaningless things, except of course screaming children.

I spent a large portion of my twenties away from all forms of children after 6 years of babysitting, and when I was exposed to them again, it was so easy to get aggravated by the shear energy of a child kicking the chair I sat in on that super tight flight – so easy!  Granted, I have a very low level of patience for anyone, really.  But now as more and more children seem to be popping up around me, I am turning a corner.  It’s not their parents’ fault they are loud.  They are still learning the ways of the world, still so innocent and excited about life.  Now when I see a kid acting a little crazy, I just smile.  They are enjoying life and God bless their parents who have to deal with that energy 24 hours a day.

But while I am at least gaining patience for the little people, I am nowhere near wanting my own just yet – so don’t get any ideas!  I am more than happy to spend time with my nephew or my friends’ kids, but I am still fond of the fact that I can return them at the end of a visit. I have my own noisy household to deal with.