K is for Kids

You think you know what I'm going to say here. But you don't. Maybe. I'm sleepy and feeling a little ranty. Hm, maybe you were right on what you thought I was going to say.

I don't have children. That's intentional. I have cats. That's also intentional. I'm not crazy about kid places and I don't like snot or sweaty grimy hands on my 'lectronics.

Image from morguefile.com

None of this means I don't like your kid(s). I do kinda think ultrasound pictures are creepy, though. Sorry.

I can't remember when I decided I didn't want children, but I think it was when I was 19. I was mad that my doctor wouldn't even *talk* to me about surgical options to prevent pregnancy, saying I was too young. I happen to think I'm old enough to know what I want to learn about when I decide I want to learn about it, thankyouverymuch. By the way, I was 19 pre-Google. So, there's something.

I happen to think a child's laugh is the best sound in the world. I believe the pure, innocent joy on a child's face is a gift from above.

Image from morguefile.com

I also think if your kid is screaming in the restaurant, take him or her outside. That doesn't mean I don't think s/he has a reason to cry. It means I didn't come here to listen to it. It doesn't mean I think the child should be disciplined. However, if you just sit there while your kid screams in a restaurant, coffee shop, movie theater, store, or anywhere else that is easy to get in and out of, you should be disciplined.

Listen, I'm not saying I have all the parenting answers. I'm not saying if you discipline your children correctly at home you won't have these problems in public. I'm saying if you can take an unhappy or unruly child out of an enclosed space where I am paying money for a service of some kind, do it.

Captive children are different. Kids on planes, trains, and places you can't get in and out of get more leeway. I don't automatically get ticked when a kid starts crying on a plane. I don't enjoy the sound, but I don't get mad. I do, however, get torqued when your kid kicks the back of my seat and you don't say a word to suggest s/he stop.

Some of my favorite people are kids. Generally speaking, though, they're between about 9 and 17. It's not that I don't like kids. It's that I don't know what to do with them. I called the toddler daughter of one of my friends "pretty girl" once and was told she's not a cat.

Sigh.

I've decided I should have named bands for the A-Z challenge. Then today's post would just say Kansas. Carry on ...

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I am participating in the Blogging from A-Z challenge for April 2012. Today's post is for the letter K.

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