You know what the most annoying phase kids go through is?

[LeftyMom]

It's when they get so obsessed with the idea of fairness that they'd rather nobody have a cupcake than their brother get one a tiny bit bigger than theirs. Eventually most kids grow out of this, they realize that a slightly smaller cupcake or an extra lima bean or shoes that cost a few dollars less aren't the end of the world, and that these minor inequities naturally even out on their own. In short, their immature understanding of fairness evolves into a more complex understanding of justice.

The ones who do not are the fundies, the killjoys, the line counting actors, the HOA snitches out measuring the height of your grass and the people who just generally aren't worth being around. Try to remember not to be one of those people.

[lukasahero]

1. I really like the commercial

I think it's for peanut butter. Two kids, one sandwich. Mom says ok, so kid 1 will cut. Kid one gets excited and cuts it in "half". Mom says but kid 2 gets to choose which half. :)

I thought that was a great commercial and a really quick way to tech kids that "fairness" starts with them.

[LeftyMom]

9. I think my grandmother did that to us a few times.

:)

[BarenakedLady]

2. Oh I hear ya!

My house is filled with the phrase "But that's not faaiiirrrr..." whine whine whine.

[LeftyMom]

6. I know kid sister and I did that.

Somehow we survived to adulthood anyhow. :wtf:

[Guava Jelly]

3. 1 year through 18 years

:7
:rofl:

[LeftyMom]

10. Nah, it's more like this:

1. A few months prior to birth when they do handstands on your bladder at night
2. Colic
3. When they seem like they are almost potty trained and then they regress for a few months
4. As soon as they learn the phrase Buuuuuuuut Mooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooom!
5. When everything is a matter of life or death importance and their social calendar is more complicated than a NASA pre-launch schedule
6. When mystery dents start appearing in your car.

[Midlodemocrat]

4. That only happens to vegan kids.

:hide:


KIDDING!!!!!!

[LeftyMom]

7. It's because they lack protein, I tell you.

Those three crumbs of extra cupcake might be the difference between life and death! :rofl:

[William Bloode]

5. After 4 it's the toddler stage for me.

1-3 just really kills me. Almost done with the last one, or outta the woods.

Oddly enough my older kids, i never had any problem in the teen years which i thought would be the worst. I have one fixing to be a teen, and another 11 years away. So i'll see.

[LeftyMom]

8. You're a brave man.

There are times when I feel really bad for the people with a whole minivan load of kids under five, then I remember they only have to go through that age once. What scares me is the idea of having another kid in a few years (LK is five now) because maybe I wouldn't be up to it anymore. Could I deal with colic again? The very thought makes me want to schedule a tubal ligation.

[William Bloode]

11. Maybe not so brave.

I spaced them out pretty good. Ages are as of now 24, 19, 10, & 1........Maybe i am braver than i thought!:scared:

[rocktivity]

21. I don't think kids are that "terrible" at two--I think they're worse at three

Of course, I'm basing that on my interactions with my nephews and nieces, whom I've never had full care of for more than a weekend.

:headbang:
rockation

[LeftyMom]

24. It depends

My son was definitely easier to deal with at three, because he was somewhat understandable when speaking and that really reduced his frustration level.

[yellowdogintexas]

29. thre was definitely worse than two. Mine was such a good 2 yr old

that I really wondered what all the hoo haa was about. Then we got to three..
geez/

middle school was total hell

but I now have the most wonderful 22 year old daughter/friend anyone could wish for

[gemdem]

26. Depends on the day of the week and the phase of the moon

My 15-year old daughter is a dream by most measures. She has her days to be sure, but ever since school started this year, she seems to "get it" and is really dialed in and is easy to deal with most days. It was a struggle getting to this point, but right now it's been worth it.

My 13-year old son on the other hand will be lucky to make 14. He and I constantly lock horns. He hears a different drummer, and it's a challenge most days to keep from skinning him alive (some days it's all the family can do to keep from voting him off the island). He's a good kid, but he's driving everyone in the house a bit nutty with his quirks, attitudes, and interests. I suppose that I was about as difficult at his age, although I don't really want to think about it.

My 7-year old daughter is a sweetie. All smiles. The difficult moments are infrequent and pass quickly. Nearly every day with her is a good day, although maybe we appreciate them a bit more. She's been emerging from a communication delay over the last five years (her speech and some aspects of her social development came to a sudden stop at 17 months for reasons we still don't know), so with her every success means just a little bit more and every good day is just a bit more special.

My 5-year old son is ornery as all hell. Some days that's good, other days not so much. In any case, it's never dull.

It's a rare day (or moment) when they're easy all at the same time. Fortunately it's almost as rare when they're being difficult all at the same time. Most days they're blessings -- thank God. :-)

[femmocrat]

12. That is nothing compared to the back-talking middle school years, IMO.

In middle school, they have a comeback or a comment for every thing that anyone else in the room says. It is so annoying! (No it isn't!)

[Shine]

33. Testify!

I am soooo with you on that one! :hi:

[greatauntoftriplets]

13. Wait until he is a teenager....

Just wait.

[youthere]

14. I think the most annoying phase is when they

want to join in EVERY conversation you have with your spouse, even when they don't know what you're discussing.

[flvegan]

15. Your sister giving you trouble, dear?

Did you bake the cupcakes?

Don't worry...30 is just around a decade away for her. It'll happen.

[LeftyMom]

16. No dear, I'm actually talking about adults.

That would exclude my sister. ;)

You busy?

[flvegan]

17. I'm attempting to blind

myself by staring cosely at small pictures of houses whilst reading tiiiiiiny type on said pages describing same.

[LeftyMom]

19. Well, you could have avoided this

if you'd just dropped a small fortune for some unsound lopsided shed when you first started looking. Of course, you'd be hating yourself for it, but you could have. Just think of the eye strain as an investment in your future.

Or a sign of your impending birthday. ;)

[flvegan]

20. Yeah, but then the next thing ya know

PETA is banging on my door for endangering my rescues by keeping them in such a shanty.

[LeftyMom]

22. Wouldn't they be too busy

killing healthy puppies for fun/ promoting welfarism/ stealing hunting dogs (did you see that story earlier this week?)/ burning down pet shops (the things I learn in GD) etc?

;)

[flvegan]

23. We're getting a Pinellas County chapter here, soon. They need to

make a "good first impression"

[LeftyMom]

25. Okay, I guess that means you really to have to stick to the criteria:

Four walls. Not three. :rofl:

[regnaD kciN]

18. I thought the most annoying phase...

...was the time between being brought home from the hospital and moving into their own place. ;-)

A friend of mine, mother of four sons, says the unique thing about each phase of a child's development is how it leaves you nostalgic for the previous phase.

[ashling]

27. We have a family joke about "Daddy's half"

Once my dad, my older brother, and I were spending the weekend at our weekend place in east Texas. It was raining really hard all weekend and the roads were all muddy, so daddy didn't want to drive down to the store.

We had two 10 oz cokes (the old green glass bottle with the pop off crimped cap) We were all sitting at the table and my brother and I each got one.

Then daddy asked my brother for a swallow out of his bottle. Lee started to give him the bottle, but said "wait a minute, then John will have more than me.

Daddy suggested a Solomon like solution: Daddy got a glass and poured himself exactly 1/2 from each bottle. That way we all had 1/2.
Lee got 1/2, I got 1/2, and then there was Daddy's half. By the time we figured out what had happened, Daddy had finished his.

Daddy's half pretty much put an end to that phase ... at least until the next time.

[petronius]

28. LOL! Your dad is a brilliant man...

I like that strategy a lot better than the 'one divides, the other chooses' approach!

:rofl:

[yellowdogintexas]

30. Between 5 and 8 pm every day. Our doctor called it the witching hour

and said that if any of his "moms' killed their children between those times of days he would go to court and testify they didn't know what they were doing.

[Shine]

31. I can totally relate.

My kids are three years apart and I still go through this "It's not fair!!" dynamic with them almost daily.

I believe it's our job as Parents to remind them LIFE ISN'T ALWAYS FAIR...but that doesn't mean we still can't be happy and satisfied with life.

[evlbstrd]

32. You must not have teenagers.

It's much worse. There is no reasoning with them.
edited for subject.