Children should be appreciated and respected for who they are -- being a CHILD!
Children are childish! We were all children once and being a child is an important and glorious part of the human experience.
I wonder if perhaps some of the people who get so easily annoyed at children, were the ones who themselves felt like they were an irritation to the adults around them?
Sadly, there are still people around who claim that children should be "SEEN AND NOT HEARD."
I consider this to be "CHILDISM."
You know, like Racism or Sexism!
Childism is when people are discriminated against just because they are young and small.
Our adult desires do not outweigh a child's needs to be respected and listened to, and to be included in adult conversations if they want to be.
I want my children to interact with me and those whom I surround myself with. I have never thought of telling my children that in the presence of 2 or more adults, the child should be only be "Seen And Not Heard."
How will they learn to interact with the variety of people and situations in our world, if a child is not allowed to participate in conversation and is not allowed to get involved in what the adults are up to?
As an example, I would not appreciate my husband telling me that I can't join in on the conversation with his male friends or brothers.
"Honey! Just be a good wife and bring us our drinks, look pretty, but don't disrespect me by interrupting us with your womanish ways."
I would cause a stink! I would tell my husband that is not how it is going to be and that I deserve respect too.
And if I treated my children that way, I would expect them to rebel too. Why do we treat kids with a double standard?
Children do not have all the skills that adults have yet. This is obvious. But we must accept them where they are, and we must help them grow and learn.
Interacting with humans of all ages and professions in a variety of situations is an important part of learning how this world works. Let's show our children some grace if it takes them some time to figure it all out.
I suppose that is one reason why I choose unschooling as our form of education. When children are unschooled they can accompany the parent to all types of appointments, chores and entertainment. Afterall, Living is Learning.
I remember the first time that I met a family of unschooled children. We met with other families to explore some train tunnels in a provincial park. The young boys came right up to me and introduced themselves, shook my hands, and started a conversation.
It was wonderful! But I have to admit I was a bit surprised, because usually children pretty much ignore other adults and only interact with other children. These young boys were very pleasant, and they treated me like an equal.
I suppose that some adults find it insulting to be treated as an equal by children, but I find it refreshing.
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