I Don’t Like You

What do you do when you just don’t like some of your kid’s friends?

I spent quite a long time thinking that every young child was supposed to be wonderful. When I encountered a little kid that I found unpleasant, I chocked it up to the developmental stage, or perhaps I was in a bad mood that day. I tried not to ever conclude that the kid was simply an ass.

Accepting that I don’t like a youngster was and is an uncomfortable space for me. Since children are supposed to be inherently innocent, how did I justify judging their personality or behavior?

I began to realize that I was patronizing these handful of kids when I tried to convince myself to find a way to like them. Just as with adults, sometimes you click together and sometimes you don’t.

Of course, I am cognizant that young kids have a lot of maturing and life lessons ahead that will further shape their personalities. Maybe one day I would come to like the few kids that I found so intolerable?

I decided to be done with making excuses for my negative reactions. I certainly didn’t and wouldn’t treat these particular children poorly. And I would never prohibit my child from continuing a friendship. I am the adult in these scenarios, and I behave accordingly.

But I don’t have to like everyone- young or old. These children aren’t my friends and therefore, I’m not invested in addressing the issues between us. Nor are these my kids, so I have no “parenting” rights with them.

I just don’t like some children. And it’s okay. It’s the way life goes.