WTF Stories of the Week

[SzczerbiakManiac]

Originally Posted by Heath Campbell

Heath Campbell said he named his son after Adolf Hitler because he liked the name and because "no one else in the world would have that name." He sounded surprised by all the controversy the dispute had generated.

Really? You named your son Adolf Hitler and you're surprised it generated controversy? REALLY?!? Are you aware of the other Adolf Hitler from around 70 years ago?

He said he was raised not to avoid people of other races but not to mix with them socially or romantically. But he said he would try to raise his children differently.

Please define "differently" Mr. Campbell.

[Eliza Hodgkins 1812]

Originally Posted by mousepod

I actually got physically ill and had to put the book down for almost a half hour.

That was me reading American Pshyco. Heh.

Kids will do the darndest and most dangerous things. I was swimming in a pool that was half covered by the winter pool cover. My Dad and his friend were standing nearby. I thought it would be cool to swim beneath the cover, and it was! The colors and the calm were amazing. I figured I get to the the end, and simply stick my head up, imagining the cover would be light enough to raise up along with me. I tried to come up for air and the cover was too heavy to budge. I was quickly running out of air and almost panicked, but instead swam as fast as I could to the open end of the pool. I emerged gasping for air. My Dad and his friend were still chatting away; had no idea I was in any danger. Reproached him later for not paying more attention, and he pretty much told me to be less of an idiot. Heh.

Anyway, I could have died, and I hardly blame lack of supervision. My father simply had a higher opinion of my intelligence than he should have.

For the record, I am not anti-child. I just don't want children of my own. (There are many reasons for this, and one of them IS because I know how hard it is.) I don't like how some people have tried to make me feel like this is a severe lack on my part. I've had a co-worker say, "You can never really know love until you have a child." I've had people who barely know me say, "Oh, but you will. Someday. Trust me." If some people feel those without children speak out of turn about parenting, it goes both ways. Parents often make non-breeders feel like there is something wrong with them.

My boss needing to take time off from work watch his daughter's ballet class is no more important than my needing to take time off from work to meet an old friend for dinner. He wants to be a good father, and I want to be a good friend. We mutually respect our different lifestyles.

So, I'm not anti-child. I love new baby smell and smart toddlers. I love playing with kids because I've always dreamed of playing with monkeys. And I love talking with kids because I find I often learn something new, too.
I don't think kids should be cleaning up lint in cotton mills with their tiny hands, but I also don't think they should be coddled and "cute"ified into prolonged adolescence. My aunt stays home from work if her sixteen year old has a tummy ache. I don't understand that. My favorite parents are the ones who don't make their children feel like they are the center of the universe, who treat them like like they are raising a future adult, and who take their newborns OUT of the movie theater as soon as they start crying because they recognize that other patrons may mind. A child crying at Disneyland? Fair game.

If anything, I'm anti-parents who think their more important for being parents, and who treat their children as though they are somehow more special than everything, everyone and anything else. I feel fortunate that most of the parents I know aren't like that, and they're raising some seriously awesome kids.

[alphabassettgrrl]

Originally Posted by Eliza Hodgkins 1812

I've had a co-worker say, "You can never really know love until you have a child." I've had people who barely know me say, "Oh, but you will. Someday. Trust me."

Yeah, frequently people assume a desire for children and simply cannot understand a different opinion. They assume I'm either broken or lying. When people assure us that we will someday want children, it seems like they are trying to reassure themselves somehow that their desire for children is normal; I'm wondering why it's so important to them that I want children. I don't get it.

My uncle's wife raised one of those "center of the universe" children. This girl was her last child, and my aunt's main goal seemed to be to not allow the child to grow up (I think the woman would be happy for her daughter to be perpetually age 4). She wanted to do every little thing for the girl. I think there was some guilt with this as well as the fear of the child growing up, but independence was quite a challenge for her. Luckily, the girl seems to realize that constant dependence on one's mother is not normal, and seems to have made a somewhat independent life for herself, but it wasn't easy.

And like you say- crying babies in movie theaters? Not so ok. Crying babies at Disneyland? Happens.

[Capt Jack]

I can totally relate to that. I was married for 25 years and folks would constantly ask us "dont you want kids?" we'd sort of look at each other puzzled, as neither of us seemed to understand that 'want children' phrase. I still dont. I 'want' a steak. I 'want' to get laid. I "want" all sorts of things. not one of those seems to be "I want to create another life"

however I dig kids (Im not much removed from being one myself except for actual age), get along great with em and they do seem to like me (see the previous note, as I think kids recognize their own, regardless of age)

dunno. just not a thing I ever saw or see myself doing. and while I do applaud those that have, I fully appreciate the benefits of being one who doesnt

[Kevy Baby]

Originally Posted by Capt Jack

3-year-old Hitler can't get name on cake

I have no words

Originally Posted by the linked story

The Campbells ultimately got their cake decorated at a Wal-Mart in Pennsylvania, Deborah Campbell said.

See: another reason to not shop at Wal-Mart. They're Nazis!

[Kevy Baby]

Originally Posted by Strangler Lewis

...(but then I find the pervasive anti-child attitude on this board rather puzzling).

I LOVE children, especially with a nice Chianti.

But seriously: I see no "anti-child" attitude on this board. I know that many people on this board do not have kids, but that does not make any of us "anti-child." I personally spend a fair amount of time with friends who have kids, and have no problem talking to the children themselves. One family, who currently have a ten-year-old, a seven-year-old, and a three-year-old have been our friends since before they were married (actually, we've known the wife since before she even met her now husband). We've watched the kids grow and it has been a true joy. We've been on camping trips together and will often watch after the kids while Mom and Dad and get a respite.

[Alex]

I'm not anti-child. I just don't think they're the bees knees.

Have them if you want them, just don't expect me to think they (or you for having them) are all that interesting or special.

They seem to like me though.

[Eliza Hodgkins 1812]

I hate when the edit function disappears and my inappropriate "their" can not be corrected to "they're". I know the difference! I do! Just...in the heat of the writing moment...I am sometimes illiterate. Heh.

[Kevy Baby]

Originally Posted by Eliza Hodgkins 1812

I hate when the edit function disappears and my inappropriate "their" can not be corrected to "they're". I know the difference! I do! Just...in the heat of the writing moment...I am sometimes illiterate. Heh.

Its knot a issue. We all knows what your righting knowledge are.

[bewitched]

Originally Posted by Eliza Hodgkins 1812

That was me reading American Pshyco
For the record, I am not anti-child. I just don't want children of my own. (There are many reasons for this, and one of them IS because I know how hard it is.) I don't like how some people have tried to make me feel like this is a severe lack on my part. I've had a co-worker say, "You can never really know love until you have a child." I've had people who barely know me say, "Oh, but you will. Someday. Trust me." If some people feel those without children speak out of turn about parenting, it goes both ways. Parents often make non-breeders feel like there is something wrong with them.

I know exactly what you're talking about and I think that when people think that you you will be sorry, that you don't know what you're talking about, etc. are stupid.

I didn't plan on having kids at all. I love them but never felt any maternal urge. I got all sorts of grief from everyone...someone even told me I was being selfish (which to be fair, not gracing humanity with more of my gene pool would have been rather selfish). Then, at 32...ooops! (let's just say that 99.7% figure for the pill leaves a little wiggle room)

So I've been on both sides of the fence and respect both sides. I can also honestly say that to some degree I agree with your co-worker; in my wildest imagination, I couldn't have imagined loving anyone or anything as much as I love my daughter. I don't mean to imply at all that you are lacking or crazy because you don't want kids. I've known the feeling.

Having said that, it annoys me every bit as much if not more when people say, "if I was a parent" or, "if I had kids" as when people would say things about my decision not to have kids. Personally, I think the "stick to what you know" factor applies here (and never make definitive statements about things removed from your experience, I used to say, "if I were a parent..." all of the time but reality is a lot different from observation).