Fess up! Here’s the stuff about other people’s kids that really makes us twitch
Becoming a parent now makes you the expert on all things baby and children, right?! Darn straight! So when you encounter a little one doing something out of line with your parenting approach – well, bring on the nose wrinkling and smug eye rolls. Here’s the stuff about other people’s kids that (quietly) REALLY gets us going.
Snail trail
You know that child who permanently has a giant green slug dangling out of their nose? Wipe it for crying out loud! Or even better, teach that child to blow his nose #lifeskills. And whatever you do, DO NOT let them come near my angel because germs people! Germs!
Fancy tastes
Now here’s a reason to pout – the little girl toddling along with a more expensive handbag than your own. No fair! What’s she got in it anyway? Crackers? We all know that it’s going to be trashed in minutes. Who buys that kind of stuff for their kids? She probably only drinks juice from a champagne glass too.
Case of the squeals
Sure most children are loud and noisy, that is inevitable, but what going on with those incredibly ear-piercing squeals and screams you hear toddlers doing all over the place that their parents seem deaf to? Maybe this is the perfect moment they can teach their kids the concept of the ‘indoor voice’.
Dummy lover
Is that five-year-old really still sucking a dummy like their life depended on it? I guess they’ll just have to take it to school with them. Never mind my kids who are thumb suckers – move along people, nothing to see here!
Bully behaviour
Little children are learning all the time and often make mistakes, but there’s always those preschoolers who are just outright bullies and don’t get reprimanded for their behaviour. You know, the ones pushing kids over at the playground, smacking and biting everyone, or snatching toys off other children and not sharing. Steer clear!
Rude guest
Did that threenager really just tell me off in my own house because I wouldn’t let them draw on the couch? Or bossily tell me I’ve arranged the flowers wrong? Where are the manners?! And talk about fussy when it comes to eating – these are the kids who outrageously demand nothing but junk food, or inform you they only eat ‘white food’ when you’ve already provided an array of yummy homemade and healthy treats. They’re often rough with possessions that aren’t their own too – breaking every toy, ornament and item within sight when your back’s turned. Annoying!
Angel in the cafe
How on earth do some little kids manage to sit so quietly with their parents at restaurants and cafes, simply colouring in (no screens) and not one cupcake crumb falling to the floor? Are they robots? Surely that isn’t normal! Now, if I could just get my child to do the same…
What secretly annoys you about other people’s kids?