Nothing.


Not anymore.

Agreed.

Until I had a child I totally did not understand children or what it is like to live in "their world", which is what your world becomes when you have them.

My own kids:

o Whining. I cannot *stand* whining. One of my kids in particular is very whiny, and no matter how many times I shut him down, help him get calmed down, and get him to ask for what he wants *nicely*, it's back to whining the very next time.

o Disrespect. A different child this time (the one that's almost a teenager...). He's quickly developing 'respect' issues when talking to his mother and I. And again, every time I shut him down, but it doesn't seem to be having an effect.

o Poor behavior in public. Yes, that is *my* child throwing a temper tantrum in the middle of the grocery store. Yes, I'll deal with it. Yes, the consequences will be severe. Yes, it *will* happen again.

o Doing Dumb Shit. "You did *what* to the cat?"


Other people's kids:

Same as above, except I blame the parents instead of the kids. :-)

which is exactly what i hate about kids. i don't want to have to change my life for kids, make them the center of my life. don't get me wrong, there 's a lot of other things i don't like about them, but i think that falls more on their parents, and my patience.

what i hate about kids is that i'm selfish. yeah, sums it up pretty nicely.

They remind me how to be real and in the moment, no pretense or bullshit.
Enjoying and absorbing life, eyes without a trace of guile.

I wonder how children can stand adults...
who have forgotten how (or never had the chance) to be children.

That's a big part of it. The child is beat out of us bit by bit. I think if we ran everywhere and jumped on the furniture, we'd be a much healthier society. Our stuff would look like shit, but we'd still know how play like a child, and most likely moving around much better past 30 and 40. On the other hand, have you noticed how slow kids pretend to be, especially in adolescence? Slow-talkin, slow-walkin imitations of cool? We imitate slow and end up slow.

Getting back to the OP, I can't stand some of the punk-ass-jerk tweener/teens (too harsh?). I guess because I do substitute teaching now and then, but what comes out of their mouths as normal conversation is a crime. I'm not a prude, I grew up in a very rough environment, and every generation has it's rebels, but what I'm talking about is a trend, a major breakdown in basic respect for other human beings.

It's really not their fault, I only blame the parents, but it's disturbing. It's not just stereotypical poor kids, some of the most privileged are the worst. Last week at our neighborhood pool, a teen (about 14) gets up, walks along real slow, acting real cool, and spits on the patio surrounding the pool. I get up and quietly say something to the guy explaining how I don't want my daughter walking through his spit and he says "fuck you" and laughs. The genius didn't know I was on the neighborhood association and I asked him to rephrase his comment or apologize. He repeated his previous remarks and I revoked his pool membership. So here comes the root cause ... mom calls me at my home demanding that I reinstate her son and apologize for embarrassing her. Junior is swimming somewhere else this summer.

The reaction of the mother not expecting the child to understand their responsibility, let alone take responsibility, is indicative of the trends I'm seeing. It's not the majority of kids that act like this, most are really smart and caring. But I can't help feeling like we're slipping toward greater inhumanity and indifference to respect of others.

Well I respect your opinion. Just make sure you don't ever find yourself being a father, even accidentally.

no kidding. i was just kinda amazed how well you summed up my thought about it, but from the (assumingly) opposite persective.

this is the most refreshingly honest post in this entire thread

At the risk of sounding very "when I was your age..." I hate that kids are so video-game oriented. Yes, I liked video games growing up, I still like them... but they aren't my life.

I also don't get the cartoons. I'm all about goofy cartoons, but some of the stuff on now...I totally don't get.

Oh, OH, and when kids order people around. I'm a server, and I've had tables where the kids treat me like shit (young kids, too, no older than eight), and the parents either ignore them or say something vague like "be nice," and that's it.

Again, this depends on the parents. Kids aren't going to pay for cable on their own, and obviously they're not going to acquire expensive video game consoles without parental assistance. Many of the families I babysit for don't have cable television or buy their children video game systems (the exception seems to be Leapfrog, which is educational). The one channel we get reliably via antenna here is Oregon Public Broadcasting, and so that's the only television channel a lot of kids around here get to watch.

Kids are not much different than adults. I find myself ROUTINELY annoyed by children. But even more than being annoyed by children; I'm more annoyed by adults.

So to answer the OP ... I find the same things annoying with regard to adults and children. I'll see your child's rendition of "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing" and raise you with annoying adult upstairs who feels the need to stomp everywhere he goes--it shakes my whole apartment. Good thing we're buying another house soon.

At least children have the whole "don't have any objective reasoning" thing. It's not like they are being selfish on purpose. Adults on the other hand ... I don't know where people get their sense of entitlement.

<slight threadjack>

I am a very selfish person and I will always be. But (and I've said this before) since my daughter was born I have a certain drive that I didn't have before. It helps to have an awesome wife.

One thing that I enjoy about having a kid: I laugh at people who get annoyed by my kid especially at restaurants (unless my kid is doing something on purpose).

As for running around and jumping on furniture and being generally child-like ... we do that. Our couch is a nightmare ... but it's just stuff. Time with loved-ones can never be replaced; couches can.

</slight threadjack>

Ever see the Fawlty Towers episode with the spoiled kid who wants "salad dressing"? :) EDIT: I think the episode is called "Dinner with Andre."

Has it ever occurred to any of the posters here that when they were 3 or 5 years old, some bewildered adult somewhere was making the same observations about them, and blaming it on their parents?

It's the circle of life - unfortunately - and kids will be the same 95 years from now. Just the way it is...

I hate that even when they grow up there's still a very good chance they wont stop whining and complaining.

not a big fan of the screeming, screeching and crying. thankfully I don't encounter it alot.

Kids are little people. They're not fully developed, they don't know everything they need to get by in the world yet, and a lot of their parents do a shitty job of raising them, but in the end, they're just people.

I fucking hate people.

I laugh when children who are running around the dining area of a restaurant, trip and fall and start crying.

My real answer?

They're too expensive.

Yep. That's funny too.

It's even more fun if you do the tripping:

Thanks.... :expressionless:

I was just reminded of the "Breakdancer takes out kid" video.

I would post a link, but I'd feel bad since it's a bit shocking.

If you want to see it for yourself, be resourceful.

First time I saw the breakdancer video I wondered if it was real. That video is a little on the extreme side; but hey, at least it was an accident.

the marching band one was great. also shows how indestructible small kids can be....

was it wrong to find the breakdance video hilarious?

for what it's worth, i have two kids and i mostly hate everyone else's kids

Yes Derwood, I have found this to be true also.

More than anything else, I despise the attitude that it is everyone's duty to have children. The two main things to come from this are that too many people have kids who shouldn't and that people who either don't want them or want to wait a long time are looked down on.

I do believe in fairies....
 

I actually cringe when my daughter wants her friends to come over to our house

Parents. Especially those that think they're on some sort of mission to make the planet safe for children. I've spent the majority of my lifetime as an adult, and I have zero interest in living in a G-rated world.

Incidentally, I'm spending more time now at a music store where lessons are given, and I've found that I'm not the slightest bit bothered by kids being musical (or attempting to be musical). That actually surprised me because adults who are poor musicians bug the heck out of me, but I guess that just goes to show.

I don't hate kids. As some people have pointed out, it's the parents who are usually at fault.

I think I hated kids even when I was one...

I've been staying in my SO's dorm while in Germany and there is a kinder garden right outside the building and all day from about 7am to 4pm I hear,
"HALLO! HALLO! HALLO!" and them just counting to 10 and screaming colors....
All f***ing day for the past two weeks.

I get annoyed with kids every single day of my working week. Some of the stuff they come up with is simply beyond comprehension. They can be rude, evil, crazy, selfish, clueless, ignorant, lazy, and can spoil your day with a single comment or action.

I am amazed and inspired by kids every single day of my working week. Some of the stuff they come up with is simply beyond comprehension. They can be polite, angelic, energetic, generous, insightful, brilliant, resourceful, and can make your week with a single comment or action.

Oh yeah, I'm a teacher. And I love my job. :)

i know some people hated my kids at the grocery store today. who boy, what a meltdown

I just remembered this story. Amusing, even if its truth is doubtful.
http://www.bash.org/?777977

Need to add another one to the list.

I hate when small children feel the need to run up and down the aisles of a store with their hands out to the side, slapping everything, and everyone, in their way.

I seriously can not stand when kids talk in baby voices.... like, your nine... we are aware that you can talk better then your two year old brother.

What he said.

thirded.

Honestly, I'm not around a lot of other kids. I've usually liked my children's friends. The only children that can annoy me are ones who are screaming and crying in stores while their parents do nothing. Like the parenting method is 'ignore them and they will stop.' Meanwhile you are ruining everyone else's day. And yes, I blame it on the parent. If your child is crying and/or screaming, take them out of the goddamned store. Yes, that calls for you to stop shopping and do something about it. Oh my...

I live very close to a store that made national headlines a couple of years ago when they posted a note in the window that reads (and I'm paraphrasing) "Children of all ages are reminded to use their indoor voices". A few neighborhood moms took umbrage to it and, well, the New York Times picked up the story.

We've taken our boys there a few times - they have great ice cream. But if one of them starts to melt down (Max, more likely than not), then we leave. Pure and simple. He knows the rules, and part of parenting is teaching that actions have consequences. It sucks, and we've had to leave half-eaten meals. That said, if a place is "child-friendly" (and lots of places are), I would say that half of our melt-downs occur because the restaurant screws up, not our kids. We order food for kids as soon as the waiter/ress appears to get ahead of the curve, but if you wait 30 minutes for chicken fingers, something's wrong in the back room. I got in a shouting match over the phone with a restaurant manager about 2 months ago after we left after waiting 40 minutes for scrambled eggs for Max - all the other food came out, but not his. So as we left - with everything boxed up and ate at home. And they charged us for the eggs that never came.

In my house, meltdowns happen because someone's hungry, uncomfortable, bored or not feeling well. We can fix 3 of those easily in most cases. If we can't, we have to leave. If other parents can't understand that, shame on them.

Beyond that, this thread is just an excuse to bash anonymous people.

i think this thread is just a frame around giant hamburgers post above, which is repeat for it's beauty: