Who likes kid behavior?

Well, we ran into an acquaintance, but now I’ll call her a friend, at a local bar. No we are not bar rats but do go out on occaision, especially after our weekly mixed doubles league. Anyway, this acquaintance from almost 20 years ago and I have crossed paths over the years – we had a friend in common. She works in town at the chocolate store, so I see her around holidays when I am buying chocolate for distant relatives. Sweenor’s will even mail the chocolate for you if you want.

At the bar that night, somehow the topic of kids came up. She doesn’t have any and doesn’t want any – she may be too old anyway. That’s fine I told her, people who don’t want kids shouldn’t have kids because it’s the thing to do. But her real reason for not having kids wasn’t necessarily philosophical – she just didn’t like them or to clarify, she said she didn’t like kid behavior. Though she added, obviously she was a kid once herself. Weren’t we all, weren’t we all.

I didn’t comment at the time, but I wondered if anyone likes, enjoys, relishes bratty kid behavior. Not me. And my five-year-old knows exactly when he can get away with it and he turns it on in these moments to draw attention to himself. If grandma and I are talking, he’ll continuously interrupt or pull on my arm because he knows I don’t want to get too strict with him in front of grandma. When coaching his soccer team, he will pout and cry or even sit out when he knows I really can’t focus on him with 10 other children to manage.

So, new friend I don’t think anyone really likes kid behavior, though there are some awfully cute moments to balance out the bad ones. People have children partially because it’s what we’re programmed to do, partially because society dictates it.

Personally, I do feel a great sense of accomplishment and pride when I look at my children. They test you and push you to your limits like nothing else.

Growing up, I never thought about children and never even discussed it with my husband to be. After marriage, we decided to try and after a very difficult birth, had two more children. Why? I don’t exactly know.

But there’s no turning back now. And the thing about kid behavior, you can keep it to a minimum with discipline. Ever watched Super Nanny? The other thing is children do grow up and out of kid behavior. I was a girl once . . . I know.

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It took about six weeks or so but I am definitely settling into this unemployment thing – except when I look at my checkbook balance. But it’s all good. I have accomplished a lot including numerous household projects I wouldn’t have batted an eye at while working. My anger over the layoff has dissipated and I have the luxury to think about what I want to do with the rest of my life.

Oh there’s lots I want to do. Get in a writing group. Take sailing lessons. Learn to knit. Get a PhD in something. Improve my tennis and musical skills. But alas there is only so much time and only so many nights I can be out due to family considerations.

You see family comes first. And I know that. These boys are growing like weeds and when I have too much time on my hands I can learn to knit and sail and be in one of those writing groups with other little old ladies.

I can also start a rock band called The Grandmas. We will all wear colorful, Chuck Taylor high tops and have the time of our lives.

Seriously, I have some time to do things now and some money but I feel needed at home.

A woman I was chatting with at a soccer game recently said she always felt when she had time, she had no money to do anything and when she had no time, she had money. Kinda makes sense.
Wouldn’t it be great to do whatever you want, when you want. That’s my goal, within reason.

Once this unemployment fades, I would love to have a job with enough money and enough flexibility to keep me happy.