I have always loved children, but somehow didn't want to be yet another person to fuss over them. Give me pups/kittens anyday.
OMG! I couldn't be more wrong...
I have the opportunity of being the aunt for 6-7 children (related or otherwise) for 2-3 years now and I really can't help falling in love with the little humans.
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| Source: Wuzzle |
The 1-3 year olds are just beginning their mischief and in a discovering things mode. It is awesome to note their fascination about things. "Maa look!" and then the wobbly dancing to some beat music. Energy to scream their lungs out as well as do/say the same thing over and over again.
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| Source: Guardian |
I spent 2 days in my friends house with her 3 year old daughter. By day two, I was almost in tears to leave her. And her face kept coming back to me for a week afterwards. Her little mayalai- "anu aanthee", her "opinion" on things, just spinning around the house for no reason, pretending to be something else, non-stop talking. Sweetness!
My youngest cousin about 6 years old is SO imaginative. The pillow suddenly becomes a boat and he drags it under his bum around the house. He is so loving and hugs so tight, its heart warming.
The one kid I spent a lot of time with until 3 years ago was a sweet little girl with Down's Syndrome. She is a sweetheart and her rural uneducated parents are doing a fabulous job with her upbringing with their super positive attitude, so this girl was really wonderful and unlike any other kid I've seen.
Let me savour them until their reach their teens after which a general snort will sent in my direction when I visit them.
Their freshness of life is so mind blowing. Parents are so lucky to learn this from children buttt... so much time is spent is the "no" "No" "NO" and related exasperation. It is so easy for the aunt to say these things as the parents are also under pressure not to have badly behaved children. (just like we dog owners are responsible for good dogs.) So, I am on the parents side for this one.
Pray tell me, whats with the crankiness? At those times I give the roadrunner competition. *grin*
My suggestion is to get them outdoors more, even the small ones. More time under the sky instead of inside concrete should lessen this. Open spaces to expend their energy and prodding around to satisfy their curiousity should help reduce the crankiness. (Same rule as dogs.) Park is alright I suppose, but I think the living space itself should be like this.
And of course what I think works - A family pet!
As much as they are the world's greatest baby sitters, if I ever have to raise a kid - the TV and cable goes out of sight! Out out out!
One thing is for sure. Somehow, my generation seems to be very careful and more aware. I won't say my parents gen wasn't, but they didn't think about it, they assumed a lot of things. Even this awareness is a big step (risk of "over"-thinking is there, but that's fine) and I am proud of all my friends.
I don't do, even think "this is right, this is wrong" thing with parents. Only they can understand the enormity and challenge that is the 20-year project! Its so easy for an outsider to judge and I am not one of those.
Sadhguru on the 20-year project
I firmly fall into the GINK category, and I hope I have the opportunity of spending some more time with kids through volunteer work and otherwise. I don't have any DNA restrictions, so hopefully a small village of them should suffice.
2 comments:
Disagree with some points and agree with most!
All of us want to be perfect parents - no tv, more outdoorsy, less barbie, no sweets and so on. But to all less-than-perfect parents' credit, its easier said than done. :)
"GINK", hearing that term for the first time.
Actually, I still can't believe somebody actually wrote an article like that :)
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