I just had this huge rant about children, inspired by the children of my brother and sister, and those of two of my best friends, but I deleted it. Funnily enough, Ryan over at Pacing the Panic Room has a post on the rancor between he and his sister as children...Must be going around, huh?.
I have no children, so I can't complain, but I am still convinced I would have made an awful good mama, and I have worked with more kinds of kids than most people can imagine, so I know some shit. Can I just remind everyone that as early as a mere 100 years ago children were only brought into this world to work in our family business, or to work on the farms. I read this great article in the New York Magazine that pointed out that as our lives have become easier, children have become more "precious" and the way we treat [read: coddle] them today is only because life is so much easier for us now. 100 years ago, children never got cars on their 16th birthday and never had phones and music players and fancy clothes. And they rarely went to college! Only the truly gifted or fabulously wealthy could do it....so everyone is in financial crisis and I think I will choose to blame this ALL on children. I don't have any, but I think my theory may be dead on.
I love my nieces and my nephews, but I am only in the periphery of their lives, if at all...a few days once a year, maybe a week? They don't need me, they don't remember the things I do for them, the presents I buy, and I don't know why - I remember my aunts as being such caring loving people all through my childhood, and even now, most of my aunts are my dearest friends....I don't know why I have such a burning desire to be in my siblings' childrens lives. They could care less I sometimes think, and sometimes I even think my brother and sister would prefer if I would leave them alone.
Whatever. I am feeling particularly cranky since I haven't been home since the end of June...and won't be for another week...I am in Michigan for another few days, then Chicago, then fly back to Houston to get my car and then maybe head home...Janie, if you are reading, maybe I will swing by Midland. You don't have any kids at HOME do ya????
