All about kids.

Dear World,

Here are some things that, as an intentionally childless twenty something, I notice about parents:

The biggest pet peeve I have with parents of young children, is that there really isnt an instruction book on how to raise your kids. I have seen so many parents who use this line "Oh they are just really spirited and we encourage it!" to excuse their incredibly ill behaved children. When I hear a parent say that, it translates directly into my brain, as their child is head butting me for the hundredth time, to "I am too lazy to actually discipline my children and I dont mind that they act all willy-nilly."

There is something to be said for children who do have an incredibly active imagination and who are highly creative and who do have a lot of energy. But take that energy and try and focus it into an activity like acting, painting, or sports! I hate having some random child punch me or scream behind me for the sake of screaming because they are bored and dont know how to focus their energy into anything. It drives me NUTS. I go to the grocery store in the evenings specifically because I am less likely to bump into some awful parent who refuses to discipline their children.

Now thats not to say all children who run around and do this sort of thing are undisciplined because I see some parents actually take action when their children is acting like a rabid ape, and I appreciate those parents so much! But there are also children who no matter how much you make them sit in time out, take away their desserts, prevent so much as a grain of sugar from entering their body, and ground them- they still act out. And I feel bad for parents who are stuck with children like that.

But I guess that a lot of my feelings comes from how I was raised to act outside of the house. I was spanked when I pitched an unholy fit in the grocery store. I got grounded if I did something that I wasnt supposed to. I can't count how many times I had to sit in the corner when I was a kid. And my grandparents were definitely alumni of the school of "Children should be seen and not heard." So being loud, hitting people, pulling hair- all of that was OUT. Frankly, I still think ALL children should be seen and not heard. They should be polite and RESPECT their elders. Yes, you can talk to your children like adults and make them act mature, but for the sakes of people like me- if they act out, please do something about it!

I have no plans on having children, but I do know that if I ever change my mind about that fact, that I want my children to have structure. I want them to act politely so I can bring them out in public. I want them to love music and the arts, but not be afraid to play sports and video games too. I want to take my children to museums every chance I get. I want them to be incredibly well rounded and be offered the chance to learn about the world around them. I want them to enjoy hiking and kayaking and maybe pause on the river to photograph the landscape and study small animals that are found under rocks. All of these things are things that I would hope every parent would want for their children.

I guess the point of this is- quit making excuses and actually raise your kids! Nothing makes me happier than a parent who enjoys being a parent and is good at it!