Originally Posted by ladyislingering

How do you deal with that? Watching children in public makes me nervous because most of the time their parents are so inattentive, always thinking that it's the employees' responsibility to stop their little snotlings from falling out of shopping carts, running into things, destroying displays, etc.

Then there are the outstanding parents who have children that know well enough to sit their asses down, be quiet, not grab at things, and behave themselves. But those are so rare these days.

I've met a few delightful children at work (one the other day was telling me about how much she loved kitties, and that was nice) but most of them are always seconds away from erupting into a shrill, hellish screaming tantrum worthy of taking 9 xanax and stabbing myself in the uterus until I know it's beyond repair.

However parents deal with their children (especially if they're ill-behaved) is completely beyond me. I'm fine spending the rest of my life peelings cats off of kitchen counters (but only if there's a danger to them being there) and cleaning up the occasional hairball. I don't cringe over cat turds - they bury them, and they don't really smell or look disgusting when you clean the litter box.

Children, on the other hand ... my lord ...

When my sister was a baby, she actually shit up her entire back. Somehow. Just ... shit, everywhere. Shit up to her neck.

No thanks.

There is some sort of masochistic bravery that must come with being a parent.