RANT: "Parents Just Don't Understand"
"You just don't like kids!"
I've heard that many times and in many situations. Many of my friends even believe this but in reality, it's not that I don't like kids because I actually do. No, I don't want any of my own because... to be completely honest... I'm extremely greedy with what I have. I don't want to devote my life, my sanity, my toys, or my limited income to raising a child.
Here's the thing though: it's not kids that I dislike when I talk about them in a less-than-stellar way. It's usually the parents.
When I was working a grocery store many moons ago, I can't tell you how many well-meaning parents I'd see telling their child "If you stop screaming, I'll buy you a candy bar!" or just letting them "scream it out" when they threw a tantrum over not getting something they wanted. Or worse still, becoming so desensitized to the screaming fits that it became a simple background noise to them, while everyone else around them couldn't block out the cacophony no matter much they tried. Behaviour like that got me "the look" from my mother when I was growing up and that usually did it. On those rare occasions that it didn't, my mother would stop her shopping, pay and leave. After grabbing me under the chin, gritting her teeth and muttering that simple yet effective phrase so many of my generation learned to fear: "You just wait until we get home."
And we've all likely experienced the screaming child (and not necessarily infants or toddlers either) while we're trying to watch the latest Hollywood release. Look, I understand that hiring a babysitter so you can go watch a movie is both expensive and often difficult but that's no excuse to bring your eight-year-old into an R-rated movie filled with gore, guts and loud noises, especially when you know they're not going to behave and when it's not "Mommy Monday at the Movies". I've seen it during late-night shows that I've gone to believing that the children would be tucked in bed and not asking their parents twenty million questions that don't even relate to the guy graphically eviscerated on-screen.
Again, I understand: money and difficulty. But that's part of what you signed up for when you became a parent.
I didn't.
Neither did the rest of the audience trying to escape the world outside for ninety minutes. We didn't pay paid upwards of ten to fifteen bucks for the privilege of listening to you tell your child to hush every two minutes. We paid to watch a movie. Next time, for everyone's sake... leave Little Johnny with a babysitter or, if you desperately need to watch a movie, rent one and stay at home. Maybe we should go to you and demand our money back? I bet even that wouldn't get our point across.
And if you're in a restaurant a tad more adult that Chuck-E-Cheez or McDonald's, please... either rein in your child or expect glares from the diners who are trying to quietly enjoy a nice meal. And if someone makes a disparaging comment about "kids these days", know this: they're not really referring to your precious bundle of joy ... they're referring to you.
Ahhh... but you've got the right to discipline your own child, right?
Yeah, you do.
So start doing it.
This village isn't interested in raising your child for you. Especially when you're obviously not going to pitch in.
To the parents who at make a considerable effort to discipline your child when they're being "naughty"? Thank you. I sincerely mean that. Could you maybe give the others some pointers?
Oh, and if you think I'm the only one who thinks this way, maybe you should read this article.
Standard disclaimer: the views expressed here and elsewhere within this journal, including, but not limited to "rants", "opinions", "entries", etc. are mine. My opinion. Not the gospel. Not to be taken with alcohol. Not to be followed blindly. Not based on any particular fact and should be considered gossip or hearsay. Feel free to read, respond, debate or acknowledge said opinion. If you don't like my opinion, great -- stop reading this journal or state your own opinion disputing it. If you want to post a response telling me that I have no right to express said opinion and/or tell me how wrong said opinion is without providing proof, you can just fuck right off. I think that about covers it. Enjoy!
I've heard that many times and in many situations. Many of my friends even believe this but in reality, it's not that I don't like kids because I actually do. No, I don't want any of my own because... to be completely honest... I'm extremely greedy with what I have. I don't want to devote my life, my sanity, my toys, or my limited income to raising a child.
Here's the thing though: it's not kids that I dislike when I talk about them in a less-than-stellar way. It's usually the parents.
When I was working a grocery store many moons ago, I can't tell you how many well-meaning parents I'd see telling their child "If you stop screaming, I'll buy you a candy bar!" or just letting them "scream it out" when they threw a tantrum over not getting something they wanted. Or worse still, becoming so desensitized to the screaming fits that it became a simple background noise to them, while everyone else around them couldn't block out the cacophony no matter much they tried. Behaviour like that got me "the look" from my mother when I was growing up and that usually did it. On those rare occasions that it didn't, my mother would stop her shopping, pay and leave. After grabbing me under the chin, gritting her teeth and muttering that simple yet effective phrase so many of my generation learned to fear: "You just wait until we get home."
And we've all likely experienced the screaming child (and not necessarily infants or toddlers either) while we're trying to watch the latest Hollywood release. Look, I understand that hiring a babysitter so you can go watch a movie is both expensive and often difficult but that's no excuse to bring your eight-year-old into an R-rated movie filled with gore, guts and loud noises, especially when you know they're not going to behave and when it's not "Mommy Monday at the Movies". I've seen it during late-night shows that I've gone to believing that the children would be tucked in bed and not asking their parents twenty million questions that don't even relate to the guy graphically eviscerated on-screen.
Again, I understand: money and difficulty. But that's part of what you signed up for when you became a parent.
I didn't.
Neither did the rest of the audience trying to escape the world outside for ninety minutes. We didn't pay paid upwards of ten to fifteen bucks for the privilege of listening to you tell your child to hush every two minutes. We paid to watch a movie. Next time, for everyone's sake... leave Little Johnny with a babysitter or, if you desperately need to watch a movie, rent one and stay at home. Maybe we should go to you and demand our money back? I bet even that wouldn't get our point across.
And if you're in a restaurant a tad more adult that Chuck-E-Cheez or McDonald's, please... either rein in your child or expect glares from the diners who are trying to quietly enjoy a nice meal. And if someone makes a disparaging comment about "kids these days", know this: they're not really referring to your precious bundle of joy ... they're referring to you.
Ahhh... but you've got the right to discipline your own child, right?
Yeah, you do.
So start doing it.
This village isn't interested in raising your child for you. Especially when you're obviously not going to pitch in.
To the parents who at make a considerable effort to discipline your child when they're being "naughty"? Thank you. I sincerely mean that. Could you maybe give the others some pointers?
Oh, and if you think I'm the only one who thinks this way, maybe you should read this article.
Standard disclaimer: the views expressed here and elsewhere within this journal, including, but not limited to "rants", "opinions", "entries", etc. are mine. My opinion. Not the gospel. Not to be taken with alcohol. Not to be followed blindly. Not based on any particular fact and should be considered gossip or hearsay. Feel free to read, respond, debate or acknowledge said opinion. If you don't like my opinion, great -- stop reading this journal or state your own opinion disputing it. If you want to post a response telling me that I have no right to express said opinion and/or tell me how wrong said opinion is without providing proof, you can just fuck right off. I think that about covers it. Enjoy!