I have two small children living with me. They are absolutely adorable (most of the time) but let me be perfectly honest -- sometimes they can be rather annoying. Or at least I used to think so until a recent incident made me think more carefully about their 'annoying' habits. One day, I was visiting a friend who has older children, and I was feeling rather envious about how independent they were, how they did their own thing and let their mother do her own thing, unlike my little guys.
When I mentioned this to my friend and told her with a sigh, "you're so lucky", she said "no, you're so lucky" and she started talking to me about the things she misses in her tweens, now that they are no longer small children. And it got me thinking.
So right now, if you have a small child in your house and you're wondering when they're going stop that behaviour, this article is just for you.
Here are 5 annoying things your small kid does that you (and I) will probably miss some day:
1. The never ending questions
I am bombarded with thousands of questions on a daily basis from both my kids (ages 6 and 4). Seriously, I feel like a walking encyclopaedia, and what is worse is when I really am left bewildered by some of their questions and I honestly don't know how to answer them.
"Why can't humans fly?", "Why don't snails eat jelly?", "Do clouds explode?" and "Why does that man's face look like that? (pointing at a random stranger)" are just a few examples, followed by "huh? huh? huh?" until I answer.
I do try my best to answer their questions as honestly as possible, but there are times the questions make me want to run away and lock myself in a closet forever.
My friend told me there will come a time when I will miss this interaction, that now she's the one who has to pester her kids with questions about their day, and that if she's lucky, she'll get a monosyllabic response.
So with this in mind, I'm trying my best to see the beauty and humour in my kids' questions before the tables turn.
You should, too.
2. The velcro phase
Mums, you know how you can't seem to go anywhere in the house -- even the bathroom -- without a little person tagging along behind you, stuck to you like velcro? Even if you manage to sneak away, you can be sure that with their enhanced mummy-detector senses, they will track you down in no time at all.
Well, when your kids are bigger, you will miss this annoying little trait for sure. Mine are slowly growing out of it and already I'm starting to feel lonely in the bathroom when I don't see little fingers wriggling under the door, or a little voice asking me "what are you doing?"
You see, in their minds, they're not out to annoy you when they do this. It's just that they love you so much that they can't bear to be separated from you even for five minutes. They will grow out of it, and like me, you too will probably start missing being so missed all the time!
3. The non-stop hugs and kisses
Don't get me wrong -- I love getting cuddles from my little guys. But sometimes, it's just too much.
The little one especially loves going on hugging and kissing sprees with me and at the end of it, my face is covered in saliva and my neck has bruises from the sheer force of his adoration.
My older son used to be like this and now, not so much. And I miss it.
So for now, I shall tolerate my little one's sticky kisses and bone-crushing hugs, for there will come a time, probably not too far off, that I will miss them. And so will you, when it comes to that stage with your little child.
4. The bed sharing
I'm all for co-sleeping and it had immense benefits to me when I was breastfeeding. But now, years after my boys stopped nursing, they're still in our bed and, so we all sleep uncomfortably, squished together like some giant human sandwich. It's okay if the two munchkins stay in one place while they sleep, but they must rotate through the night and more often than not, I am rudely awakened by a jab in my face with a small foot. Or by my youngest son pinching the crook of my arm in his sleep (yes, I am a human comforter).
But I was taken aback not too long ago when both children announced to me that I shouldn't miss them too much when they start sleeping in their own transformer beds (no, I never made any promises).
Okay, so I won't miss the pinching and feet in my face. But I will miss looking at their sweet, peaceful faces as they lay in deep sleep.
5. How dependent they are on you for everything
When my small kids were smaller, I did everything for them as you would have done too, or probably do right now if your kids are tiny. It's what mums do after all, right?
But there were times when I found their helplessness overwhelming. Like the time when the younger child was screaming for his milk and the other was simultaneously hollering for me in the bathroom because he needed to poo.
How could I be in two place at the same time? Why couldn't they feed themselves, go potty by themselves? Why did they need me for everything? How annoying!
But now that they are bigger, they are far more independent, and, call me crazy, but I'm starting to miss being so wanted all the time.
Parents of small kids: soon those small-kid traits that are just a little bit annoying will turn into bigger, more annoying big-kid traits. And you'll probably start missing those annoyingly sweet small-child habits more than you can ever imagine right now.
Who's feeling lonely in the bathroom right now?
Got more sweet yet annoying small-kids traits to share with us? Drop a comment below and let us know what they are!