Mother’s Day was decent—nothing spectacular, but I wasn’t really expecting spectacular, so there you go. Actually, minus Thomas the Train (which we are doing this weekend), it wasn’t much unlike last year. I slept in until about 10 and then Hub went to get me a Starbucks. We had cinnamon rolls and then he cooked eggs, toast, potatoes and sausage. I lazed around for most of the day, and then Hub and I went to see Iron Man when the kids went in for their nap. He took care of baths and showers and I was in bed before 9:30.
Saturday was a completely different story though. I had mentioned that I would be watching our friend’s kids while he helped Hub with the kitchen. I could make a blanket statement and say that I don’t like other people’s kids---but really that isn’t true. I love my 2.5-year-old and 1-year-old nieces. I think it’s about how well you know a kid, or how well a parent has educated you on said kid’s idiosyncrasies, that really figures in. Bud had a Tae Kwon Do Expo so I took all 4 kids with me to that and Hub met us there so he could see Bud do his stuff and get right out of there. I don’t know what it was—they don’t get out much (??) but these kids acted as if they have never been in a public place. M, the 9-y-o girl was all over the place, trying to win prizes, begging to break a board………VOLUNTEERING TO DO A DEMONSTRATION……you name it. J, the 6-y-o boy skulked around, refusing to take off his jacket or hood and was just a plain whiner.
When we finally got out of there, I took them all to McDonald’s with the play place. They were well behaved until it came time to eat. J refused to eat any of his meal, not even the fries, because there were onions on his cheeseburger. He whined the entire time that they screwed up his whole order so he was not eating. M made passive comments about not caring for chocolate milk. “You know, typically, I wouldn’t order chocolate milk for myself. First I would get pop. And if I couldn’t have pop, I would order regular milk 1000 times before I ordered chocolate…” and so on. (I get it---I should have asked them in detail how they liked their happy meals. I shouldn’t have assumed that a cheeseburger means a cheeseburger and that a chorus of “CHOCOLATE MILK!!!” does not mean that everyone wants chocolate milk.)
From there we went to Starbucks because, well, if I couldn’t have alcohol, that must be the next best thing, and the borrowed children were whining from the back that they were thirsty and how could I expect them to run around and play without something to drink. It was rather warm and their father had dressed them in long pants and long sleeves……so I purchased 2 bottles of water at $1.80 a piece—one for Bud and Lucy and the other for M and J to share. Then I had to hear about how they both like to drink a lot so did they really have to share? Yes. Aunt Sara can you put my hair in a pony tail? No. Aunt Sara I’m hot can I take off my sweater and just be in my undershirt? I don’t care.
We headed back to my plaster-covered home around 2:30 and I lay on the couch while Lucy took a nap on my shoulder and the other 3 played with Bud’s V-Smile. I fielded “I wish I could go outside and play Better Batter Baseball………” with sorry, we are in for the day now (read you are not breaking Bud’s toys) for the next two hours until they finally went home.
After grocery shopping and a late dinner, I didn’t make it to bed until after 11. My day had started with Lucy in gymnastics at 9, so it was a very long day; a day that I was glad to have over with.
When I type it all out, the perspective is that really, they aren’t bad kids. And it’s true, they’re not. But they sure aren’t my kids.
P.S. on the kitchen—one door moved one to go. Half way there on the dry wall. Plaster walls SUCK.
14 comments:
"...a chorus of “CHOCOLATE MILK!!!” does not mean that everyone wants chocolate milk." HA!
I'm not very patient with (some) other people's children, either. :/
Well, add another thing to my list of worries:
Child will act like a hellbeast when around OTHER mothers. GAH!
Glad you had a good Mothers Day.
oh UGH, I still don't like other people's kids. Don't tell anyone but...not even my nieces all that much.
That day sounded like it sucked hard. That mother owes you one, you know?
Ugh, that sounds like a tough day. It sounds like the kids are very used to being with someone who knows every little thing about them and automatically accommodates that. Perhaps this day served them as a lesson in manners?
Jess- honestly, the best part was when J complained he was hungry after we got back to my house and I told him exactly what I tell my own kids....."I guess you should have eaten your lunch then" I don't think he hears that at home.
And Tess- this is how the kids act when their parents are there too. I wouldn't worry about it.
That's what I don't like about other people's kids, I think: that I don't know them, so I'm constantly making mistakes and then having to hear about it. I know all my kids' preferences, or I know when it might be one thing or another so I should ask---and it seems to me that my kids are easy and non-picky, because their difficulties/pickinesses are second nature to me. But other people's kids? I don't have CLUE ONE.
Dealing with other people's kids is just plain awful. Playdates always end in disaster. You never have the right food/toys/whatever. ugh.
at least your Mother's Day was nice!
Unless you flat out LOVE ALL KIDS, I don't know how anybody really enjoys other people's kids. Even relative's kids. Maybe I'm a grump, or I don't like kids as much as I always thought, but lately even niece and nephews are getting on my nerves a lot. It's exactly what you said- when you're not used to the kids' pickiness or whininess or hyperness, it seems SO ANNOYING. But when it's your own kids it's just background noise.
I feel the same way about other people's kids. They're all annoying and obnoxious. You are a saint for taking on those kids on the weekend.
You know, I don't like other people's kids so much either, with a few exceptions. Plus, I think that the 6-9 group overall are just a bit opinionated and whiny.
So, I can understand how that would kind of suck. And did anyone say thank you? It bugs me when folks, kids or adults, are impolite.
Misty- not ONE SINGLE THANK YOU!!!
My 2 and 4 year olds have much better manners.
Watching other people's kids is ALWAYS exhausting and RARELY enjoyable.
I like kids and I used to not mind watching most of them (unless they were particularly bad). After I had my own son I heard other mother's (mostly in the blogosphere) say they didn't like other people's kids. That didn't make sense to me. But more and more it does. Other kids are fine, but they're not my kid. Like everyone knows, you know your kids so it makes dealing with someone else's kids that much harder. It makes sense why that happens.
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