It's tough being a kid

A while ago Darren and I made some scrumptious deep dish brownies. These are some super thick fudgey made from scratch brownies. The next morning before school Darren wanted one for breakfast. Of course, I said no way and made him eat a healthier breakfast before he left for school. To say the least he was bummed. After, I dropped him off I came home and cut out a piece of brownie and popped it in my mouth while fixing myself a bowl of cereal. As I did this I thought to myself "You know sometimes it is really hard to be a kid."

It has been a long while since I have had someone dictating my every move. And I really just don't realize from a kid perspective how hard it can be. If I want to eat a brownie, I eat it. If I want to rent a movie, I go rent it. If Im not tired I stay up. And as much as I want my kids to learn to make their own choices they are my responsibility and ultimately subject to my will.

As I raise my kids I often think "Boy, wouldn't it be nice if a plate of food was just placed in front of me." or "Man, I wish someone would make me take a nap." But then again I don't think about when that food was placed in front of me I would be forced to eat it whether or not I was hungry and whether or not I even liked it. Same for sleeping. Would I want to be forced to take a nap at the will of someone else whether or not I was tired. I am not saying I am going to change, I am just saying it has got to be tough.

Kids don't understand that they don't yet have the knowledge or judgement to make all of their own decisions. They just know that they don't get to make them and someone else is telling them what to do. And no matter how much I explain to my six year old a brownie is not a great way to start his day of being bombarded with knowledge and learning he still wants it and there is nothing he can do about it.

Another thing I have noticed is that my children's emotions are only skin deep. Their world falls apart much more quickly than an adult. For instance my three year old fell in LOVE with a toy humpback whale at a local store. He literally cried for days when he couldn't take it home. And not the whining annoying cry but a you-took-my-best-friend-away kind of cry. He asked for that humpback whale EVERYDAY for 2 months before he got it for Christmas and could not have been happier. I can't help but feeling bad for making him live with a broken heart for 2 months though.

Emotional meltdowns. Has your kid ever had one or more, or one or more per day for that matter? A few days ago I got to witness Darren try to beat the stuffing out of his winter coat because I guess he didn't know what else to do with himself. He was sledding and kept going off the trails and hitting the trees instead of hitting the jump and couldn't figure out how to fix the problem. Not to mention he was tired from staying up late the last two nights over New Year's. So watching him tear off his coat and stomp on it, then fall on his knees and start punching it all while he is next to tears of frustration. I have to admit it was quite amusing to watch him beat up his coat and when he looked up at me I just said, "keep going. If it makes you feel better, keep going." He looked at me astonished like I should be scolding him instead. Then he said "It doesn't make me feel better" and then he walked away. By the time he got back to the house he was fine and even better after a good nights sleep. But I just can't help but thinking that even though my children have it pretty good, It is still not easy being a kid.

My boys forced into the Christmas pageant