My children are irritating. Very irritating. G is, most of the time, the most irritating one of the bunch, but the other two have their moments and sometimes give G a run for his money in the "most challenging" child department.
But I am used to what makes them irritating. It doesn't make it any less annoying. It doesn't make me want to bang my head against the wall with any less force. But there is some comfort in being used to their irritatingness.
I am reminded of this whenever I am around other people's children. I'm not necessarily suggesting other people's children are more irritating than mine; they are probably only irritating in a different way, but because I am not used to their form of irritation, they seem REALLY, EXTREMELY, HIGHLY irritating.
Being around them makes me thankful for the ways in which my own children drive me nuts.
But I am used to what makes them irritating. It doesn't make it any less annoying. It doesn't make me want to bang my head against the wall with any less force. But there is some comfort in being used to their irritatingness.
I am reminded of this whenever I am around other people's children. I'm not necessarily suggesting other people's children are more irritating than mine; they are probably only irritating in a different way, but because I am not used to their form of irritation, they seem REALLY, EXTREMELY, HIGHLY irritating.
Being around them makes me thankful for the ways in which my own children drive me nuts.
1 comment:
It's so weird - I used to feel exactly the way you do, that other people's kids were annoying (not that I've ever admitted that to anyone, ever). But now, it seems like I've developed an affection for kids in general, to the point where I feel tender towards all kids. Come to think of it, this tenderness towards all kids came along just about the time I started feeling more tender towards (and less frustrated by) my own kids - meaning, when the stress level they induced diminished greatly due to their growing up a bit.
Coincidence? Perhaps not.... And that means there's hope for you yet! ;-)
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