This is has lost it’s trend status but none the less I have time now.
Brat bans
The following is the invisible conversation in my head to a unnamed individual who is for the brat ban.
me- “Tell me why are you for the “brat ban?”
“I have CHOSEN not to have children and should not be inflicted with your child’s care”
me- “Ok I am going to speak slowly and use small words- You self involved little punk. how old are you?”
“-erm—twenty something”
me- “great! So 40-60years from now do you plan on dying as to not inflict my child with your care? Better yet, do you plan on living in this country where you in your 20s decided to treat an ENTIRE generation as second class citizens? Cause due to that whole ‘aging’ fiasco we can’t escape, one day MY child and his PEERS will be wiping your ass, creating your drugs, paving your road, building your house, making your policies, spending your taxes, and…well, you get the point.
Look I get it. I do. Kids sometimes aren’t the greatest company. They are a little loud, mess follows them, and sometimes they forget their manners- but thats I why you’ll never see my 2year old at 10course meal or the movies…ok he loves his Italian operas but its cute when he sings along right? (I am joking –loosen up) I completely respect your choice not to be a breeder but don’t stand on your high horse because your life involves just you. I work my ass of day and night to help this one little person become a big person, a big person who one day will have all the power you hold right now. So pause and think about that- is it worth gambling your peaceful future on a quiet shopping experience?
Oh and while your at please wipe that smug look on your face you make our whole generation look bad… and you look constipated(and believe I know what constipated looks like- I have a 2year old)”
In my head this where the pro brat ban person sees the light and slowly moves out of my line of fire to go volunteer at a nursery home thankful for the generation before us.
But seriously this topic actually being a topic breaks my heart. When did my generation become this ‘cool?’ To me this is not breeder vs non breeder debate, this isn’t even a well behaved kids vs wild animals debate, this really is an entire generation of people legitimately being so narcissistic that they are insisting on cutting off their nose in spite of their face. The saddest part is the innocence lost. Maybe my generation lost it too young and replaced it with cynicism and big empty holes. Truly though, children have the most unique, beautiful, perfect perspective on everything- a kind of curiosity and question that can and has changed the world with each generation. If start depriving ourselves we are dooming us to failure.
As I discussed this with one of my friends we both pondered the outside the US perspective. I polled my friend beyond these shores there were 2 reactions: a. That is just bizarre why would you do that? How are these kids supposed to learn?” and b. “Wow American children must barbaric, rabid little beasts terrorizing all that are in their path.” Which brings up the topic of behavior in children. I can say in good conscience for every rabid little beast there are 100 well mannered children. I can also say that at some points my son has been teetering on little beast himself. I remember once watching a little beast while I was pregnant and turning to my husband and condemning myself with a matter of fact “My child will never do that.” Well here is a life lesson for you: they will. Yep, ALL OF THEM. Yes even that perfect little angel sleeping so sweetly. And yes, you parent of the year…you know the one whose kids have grown and cured cancer of something…yours did too. You may have romanticized those early years (like seriously did I give birth and almost die because I just remember angels carrying my son to me on a cloud) but they did. Now I love the argument that “Well my parents beat me the with a rod/ feed me soap/ insert some discipline here.” Cause I am going to teach you another life lesson they didn’t, well not as bad as you remember it. The thing about being a kid is everyone is taller, hours feel like years and when you get into trouble your world does FEEL like it ends. Also you are comparing parenting to when you were parented in light of this logic I will style my hair like my mother did when I was two…I am also going start using Microsoft Windows 3.0, crank some New Kids on the Block “Step by Step,” and watch Cheers. The point is my Mother was mothering a whole different world and to compare the two would be ridiculous.
Ultimately the fact this discussion has to happen is a sad state of affairs. I suppose I can just blame our parents for the self centered world we live in- cause it can’t be my fault :p
So I leave you with two Dr. Suess quotes