Saturday afternoon - Sitting at Hibachi restaurant with Shannon. We are enjoying the last part of our meal (the ice cream!) when suddenly she makes an “ugh” sound of intense displeasure.
It doesn’t take long to realize that she is once again annoyed at the sound of a crying child. She and I have had this discussion many times in the past couple of years. You know the one, the whole “why don’t people leave their children with grandma or a babysitter before coming out into a public place where other humans are trying to enjoy some moo goo gai pan?”
In the past I have patiently tried to explain to her teenaged brain that once upon a time, SHE was an infant and then a toddler and so forth. There have been times, although not very many, that she caused a scene in a public place. Furthermore, not all children are fortunate enough to have a grandma or sitter or whatnot and just have to come out with the moms and/or dads. Life just “is” that way.
As we have discussed ad nauseum - one day, when she has kids of her own she will learn all of these very important things. But instead of reiterating that lecture I simply say: “That’s going to be you one day.”
She replies, “Crying like a banshee because I just wet myself??”
(Sorry Will Smith, but it’s the KIDS who “just don’t understand.”)
