Traveling with Children.
My wife and I returned to Atlanta yesterday from a visit out of state with our children. It was a long day, around nine hours from point to point. I have to admit that our children are good travelers for the most part, but our youngest can get a little out there. She's got this scream thing that she does when a regular old whimper would suffice.
Needless to say I am a bit self conscious about this quirk of hers. Mind you, I am long since over the reluctance to change a wet, not dirty, diaper in the corner of a gate at the airport, but for whatever reason I am highly noise conscious. Thus when we get on the plane, as soon as is practicable I will pop up and hang with the flight attendants in the back if the kid starts to get noisy. The problem with this is that as I walk up and down the aisle with child I get looks. That's right, looks. And to be blunt, it kind of irritates me. What would you rather have, wailing child or walking dad? I think most would choose walking dad, but you wouldn't know it from the looks.
My point, I guess, such as there is one, is that this intermittent screech is just about enough to have you consider for a fleeting moment revisiting your overall views on parenting. I don't want to be the guy whose child is getting the best of him, but come on, stop with the screeching already. You know how many people look at that guy?
Instead, I take it out on the person who it is more socially appropriate to be arguing with and that is my spouse. Who, as it happens, is equally done with the whole situation and has apparently already chosen to argue with me. Because nothing says voyueristic fun more than watching some frazzled parents and a wailing child go at it.
I know that this post is a little off topic for our general discussion of things Punchline, but I felt at least some of you might think it was exactly on point with comedy.
Needless to say I am a bit self conscious about this quirk of hers. Mind you, I am long since over the reluctance to change a wet, not dirty, diaper in the corner of a gate at the airport, but for whatever reason I am highly noise conscious. Thus when we get on the plane, as soon as is practicable I will pop up and hang with the flight attendants in the back if the kid starts to get noisy. The problem with this is that as I walk up and down the aisle with child I get looks. That's right, looks. And to be blunt, it kind of irritates me. What would you rather have, wailing child or walking dad? I think most would choose walking dad, but you wouldn't know it from the looks.
My point, I guess, such as there is one, is that this intermittent screech is just about enough to have you consider for a fleeting moment revisiting your overall views on parenting. I don't want to be the guy whose child is getting the best of him, but come on, stop with the screeching already. You know how many people look at that guy?
Instead, I take it out on the person who it is more socially appropriate to be arguing with and that is my spouse. Who, as it happens, is equally done with the whole situation and has apparently already chosen to argue with me. Because nothing says voyueristic fun more than watching some frazzled parents and a wailing child go at it.
I know that this post is a little off topic for our general discussion of things Punchline, but I felt at least some of you might think it was exactly on point with comedy.
posted by Jamie at 5:04 PM
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