WTF, Parents???
I've always wondered something about people who have kids.
And yes, in case you were wondering, I do find it strange that I have to say "people who have kids" as if they are part of a group that I have not joined yet. Because even though I am a part of that group - have, in fact, joined that group twice over now - sometimes I feel like I'm still...not. Like I'm still the girl who can drink a whole bottle of wine and watch American Idol while laughing and dreaming about what life might have in store for me with my girlfriends. And not at all the Mom who just went to a 2 1/2 hour movie* and missed her kids. I was gone from home for a grand total of 3 hours, and half way through the enjoyable film, I couldn't help but think "Gosh, maybe I should have just stayed home." Anyhow. Apparently there is a lot of things I wonder about people who have kids. So please join me on my quest to find answers. I'll give myself the next 20 years...when my kidswill might have moved out and maybe I'll know then. But! Back to my story.
So, there is one thing I always wondered about parents.
How do you take your kids places? Isn't it too hard? All of the summers I spent life guarding and watching stressed-out looking moms bundle all their kids into the pool with all the toys and sunscreen and she-stole-my-goggles!'s...only to spend a mere 30 minutes there before it was time to head home. Why? What is it for?
I looked at my own parents, and I saw the family vacations to California and Texas and Yellowstone, and realized how expensive that must have been for all of us. And having to get the dog and cat taken care of... And dealing with "she's LOOKING at me!" and "I don't WANNA stay at this hotel...there isn't a pool!" And....WHY? PARENTS OF THE WORLD......PLEASE ANSWER ME!!! Surely it's easier to just...NOT do things.
And then.... I became a parent. And I forgot about the part of me that used to think that parents were crazy. (Potentially for the sole reason that I was always right - parents ARE crazy. Me included.)
And you know what? I have the answer.
It's so simple.
The one and only** reason that we, as parents, take our kids places, even when it's hard or expensive or might not seem worth it to anyone else.....
...We just really, REALLY like our kids.
That's it. We like them. They're great. They're awesome to be around (except maybe when they're screaming in an over-crowded cafe because they dumped their milk on the floor on purpose and we won't give them more. Nope....actually, that's a lie. Trip did that today, and I still really like him.) And all that effort is worth it, just to see them experience something for the first time ever. To take them to the playground for the first time, and you can see it on their faces how excited they are to have discovered the slide! Or to watch as they walk up to a complete stranger, and smile and say "hiiii!" and you just watch the stranger melt a little bit too. Or you take this little person that you created (from nothing! First there was nothing, and now there is a person!) and you pose them next to a relative or in front of the zoo for a photo, and you just think how awesome these memories are going to be for them to have and look back on.
That's it. That is all there is to it.
So, ladies and gentlemen, this evenings segment of Deep Thoughts With AUSAcara has brought us to this earth shattering conclusion: Parents like their children. Who knew?
xx
Cara
*which was The Great Gatsby, by the way, and was thoroughly cinematic and enjoyable and not at all the flamboyant train wreck that some might expect from Baz Luhrman, while at the same time being so obviously one of his films. Say what you must about his style, I like his movies for the sense that they are so dramatically different from anything else. Props to the man for following his vision....but you know, maybe I'm onlyf saying that because I am mildly Australian now, so I have to stick up for my fellow countryman.
**There might be one other reason you see us Mom's taking our kids out places. And that is because when we're having a hard day, leaving the house, by some miracle, just makes it better. I can't really explain it. I just know that when I'm having a tough morning and everyone is screaming and I put one too many banana slices in the toddler's cereal, going out for a coffee makes the whole rest of the day turn out okay. And also.....because I like my kids and I like watching them have fun. And I like watching them make friends. And I like how they still need me to come sit beside them so they can feed me the "dinnah" they made in the sand box.
And yes, in case you were wondering, I do find it strange that I have to say "people who have kids" as if they are part of a group that I have not joined yet. Because even though I am a part of that group - have, in fact, joined that group twice over now - sometimes I feel like I'm still...not. Like I'm still the girl who can drink a whole bottle of wine and watch American Idol while laughing and dreaming about what life might have in store for me with my girlfriends. And not at all the Mom who just went to a 2 1/2 hour movie* and missed her kids. I was gone from home for a grand total of 3 hours, and half way through the enjoyable film, I couldn't help but think "Gosh, maybe I should have just stayed home." Anyhow. Apparently there is a lot of things I wonder about people who have kids. So please join me on my quest to find answers. I'll give myself the next 20 years...when my kids
So, there is one thing I always wondered about parents.
How do you take your kids places? Isn't it too hard? All of the summers I spent life guarding and watching stressed-out looking moms bundle all their kids into the pool with all the toys and sunscreen and she-stole-my-goggles!'s...only to spend a mere 30 minutes there before it was time to head home. Why? What is it for?
I looked at my own parents, and I saw the family vacations to California and Texas and Yellowstone, and realized how expensive that must have been for all of us. And having to get the dog and cat taken care of... And dealing with "she's LOOKING at me!" and "I don't WANNA stay at this hotel...there isn't a pool!" And....WHY? PARENTS OF THE WORLD......PLEASE ANSWER ME!!! Surely it's easier to just...NOT do things.
And then.... I became a parent. And I forgot about the part of me that used to think that parents were crazy. (Potentially for the sole reason that I was always right - parents ARE crazy. Me included.)
And you know what? I have the answer.
It's so simple.
The one and only** reason that we, as parents, take our kids places, even when it's hard or expensive or might not seem worth it to anyone else.....
...We just really, REALLY like our kids.
That's it. We like them. They're great. They're awesome to be around (except maybe when they're screaming in an over-crowded cafe because they dumped their milk on the floor on purpose and we won't give them more. Nope....actually, that's a lie. Trip did that today, and I still really like him.) And all that effort is worth it, just to see them experience something for the first time ever. To take them to the playground for the first time, and you can see it on their faces how excited they are to have discovered the slide! Or to watch as they walk up to a complete stranger, and smile and say "hiiii!" and you just watch the stranger melt a little bit too. Or you take this little person that you created (from nothing! First there was nothing, and now there is a person!) and you pose them next to a relative or in front of the zoo for a photo, and you just think how awesome these memories are going to be for them to have and look back on.
That's it. That is all there is to it.
 |
| Exhibit A: One of those kids I like so very, very much. |
 |
| Exhibit B: Another one of those kids I like so very, very much. Also displayed: Crazy Mom. |
So, ladies and gentlemen, this evenings segment of Deep Thoughts With AUSAcara has brought us to this earth shattering conclusion: Parents like their children. Who knew?
xx
Cara
*which was The Great Gatsby, by the way, and was thoroughly cinematic and enjoyable and not at all the flamboyant train wreck that some might expect from Baz Luhrman, while at the same time being so obviously one of his films. Say what you must about his style, I like his movies for the sense that they are so dramatically different from anything else. Props to the man for following his vision....but you know, maybe I'm onlyf saying that because I am mildly Australian now, so I have to stick up for my fellow countryman.
**There might be one other reason you see us Mom's taking our kids out places. And that is because when we're having a hard day, leaving the house, by some miracle, just makes it better. I can't really explain it. I just know that when I'm having a tough morning and everyone is screaming and I put one too many banana slices in the toddler's cereal, going out for a coffee makes the whole rest of the day turn out okay. And also.....because I like my kids and I like watching them have fun. And I like watching them make friends. And I like how they still need me to come sit beside them so they can feed me the "dinnah" they made in the sand box.
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